IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE POINTS MADE AND REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF GAMES PLAYED AT BILLIARDS AND OTHER GAMES OP SKILL
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John James Cousins, of Allerton Park, Chapel
Allerton, near Leeds, in the County of York, Banker, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE POINTS MADE AND
REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF GAMES PLAYED AT BILLIARDS AND OTHER GAMES
OP SKILL."
Sealed the 25th September 1869, and dated the 15th July 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John James Cousins
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th July 1869.
I, JOHN JAMES COUSINS, of Allerton Park, Chapel Allerton, near
Leeds, in the County of York, Banker, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE POINTS
MADE AND REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF GAMES PLAYED AT BILLIARDS AND OTHER
GAMES OF SKILL," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is not only to mark or indicate the
number of points made at billiards and other games of skill by the

page_text: players, but also to register the number of points made and the number
of games played within a given time, say a week. One of the ordinary
devices for marking the points at billiards consists of two circular
discs having marked on a circle near the periphery of each the figures 1
to 0. These discs are mounted on centres and placed side by side, so
that the figures on one disc will indicate the units and on the other
the tens. These discs are placed within a frame or behind a board
having an opening in it, so that only one figure on each disc may be
seen at one time. The discs are usually turned on their centres by the
marker by means of projecting knobs or buttons, and the figures being
brought in front of the opening will indicate the number of points
made.
My improved apparatus so far as the rotating discs are concerned is
constructed on the same principle, but the two discs are connected by
gearing, so that every rotation of the unit disc will move round the
other one-tenth of a revolution. In addition to this there is a device
whereby the rotation of the discs will be marked with a pencil or tracer
on a graduated paper or card disc placed within the casing or frame
which contains the visible discs, and as this casing will be kept locked
the marker will not be able to get at the registering card or to tamper
therewith and defraud the proprietor by misinforming him of the number
of
games that have been played and paid for.
In carrying out my Invention I propose to rotate the indicating discs
by toothed gearing or otherwise actuated by a handle, the gearing being
so arranged that every revolution of the unit disc will cause the second
disc to make one-tenth of a revolution in the ordinary manner of
counting machines. On the side of a large wheel actuated by the
gearing connected with the indicating discs is mounted a rectangular
frame, which is provided on one side with a series of teeth and carries
a small pencil holder or tracer, which is capable of being traversed along
the frame from the circumference to the centre of the large wheel,
or vice versa. A small pin or stud at one end of a rod which passes
through the pencil holder takes into a spring switch which travels in
a groove on the under side of a fixed ring. The pencil or tracer projects
from its holder, and bears against the graduated card or paper, which
is supported from behind by a spring and flat plate. It should now be
understood that the graduated card or paper, which is divided radially
into 100 parts and numbered, is kept steadily fixed against the plate, so

page_text: as to allow the pencil or tracer to make curved lines thereon as the latter
is carried round by the rotation of the indicating discs. If therefore a
game of 50 has been played the tracer will have made a curved line
from 1 to 50, and in order to begin another game the indicating discs
must be turned back by means of the handle until they are at zero.
Before commencing again the pencil carrier will be pushed one tooth
along its frame, and will thus be brought to that extent nearer the
centre, or vice versa, of the graduated paper or card so as to bring a
fresh part of the paper under the tracer. This alteration in the position
of the tracer is effected by means of the small pin working in the spring
switch box. Game after game may be played, and each will be indicated
on the graduated card or paper by a curved line, so that if during, say,
a week 40 games of 50 and 10 games of 100 have been played they
will be indicated by an equivalent number of concentric curved lines
on the graduated paper, and also shewing to a point the number scored
by each player in each game. The proprietor of the table therefore
need only unlock the case and remove the graduated card and count
the number of concentric lines thereon in order to ascertain not only
the number of games played, but also the length of each game. It
will of course be understood that there must be an indicator for each
player, and for billiards where there are only two sides two indicators
should be combined in one case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John James Cousins in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th January 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
JAMES COUSINS, of Allerton Park, Chappel Allerton, near Leeds, in the
County of York, Banker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John James Cousins, Her special licence,
that I, the said John James Cousins, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John James Cousins, my executors,

page_text: administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR INDICATING THE POINTS MADE AND REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF GAMES
PLAYED AT BILLIARDS AND OTHER GAMES OF SKILL," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John James Cousins, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John James Cousins, de hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say)-
The object of my Invention is not only to mark or indicate the
number of points made at billiards and other games of skill by the
players, but also to register the number of points made and the number
of games played within a given time. One of the ordinary devices for
marking the points at billiards consists of two circular discs, on which
are marked on a circle near the periphery of each the figures 1 to 0.
These discs are mounted on centres and placed side by side, so that
the figures on one disc will indicate the units and on the other the tens.
These discs are placed within a frame or behind a board having an
opening in it, so that only one figure on each disc may be seen at one
time. The discs are usually turned on their centres by the marker by
means of projecting knobs or buttons, and the figures being brought in
front of the opening will indicate the number of points made.
My improved apparatus, so far as the rotating discs are concerned, is
constructed on the same principle, but the two discs are connected by
gearing, so that every rotation of the unit disc will move round the other
one-tenth of a revolution, as in ordinary counting machines. In
addition to this there is a device whereby the rotation of the discs

page_text: as this casing will be kept locked the marker will not be able to get at
the registering card or to. tamper therewith so as to defraud the pro-
prietor by misinforming, him. of. the number of games that have been
played and paid for.
In carrying out my Invention I propose to rotate the indicating discs
by toothed gearing or otherwise actuated by a handle, the gearing being
so arranged that every revolution of the unit disc will cause the second
disc to make one-tenth of a revolution in the ordinary manner of
counting machines. On the side of a large wheel actuated by the
gearing connected with the indicating discs. is mounted a rectangular.
frame, which is provided on one side with a series of teeth, and carries a
small pencil holder or tracer, which is capable of being traversed along.
the frame from. the circumference to the centre of the large wheel; or
vice versa. A small pin or stud at one end of a rod which passes over
the pencil holder takes into a spring switch which travels in a groove
on the under side of a fixed ring. The pencil or tracer projects from.its.
holder and bears against the graduated card or paper, which is supported.
from behind by a flat plate. It should now be understood that the-
graduated card or paper, which is divided radially into one hundred parts.
and numbered, is kept steadily fixed against the plate so as to allow the
pencil or tracer to make curved lines thereon as the latter is carried.
round by the rotation of the indicating discs.
If therefore a game of:
fifty has been played the tracer will have made a curved line from
1 to 50; and in order to begin another game the indicating discs must
be turned back by means of the handle until they are at zero:
commencing again, the pencil carrier will be pushed one tooth along its
frame, and will thus be brought to that extent nearer the centre, or vice:
versa, of the graduated paper or card so as to bring a fresh part of the.
paper under the tracer. Game after game may be played, and each will
be indicated on the graduated card or paper by a curved line, so that if.
during, say, a week forty games of fifty and ten games of one hundred.
have been played, they will be indicated by an equivalent number of
concentric curved lines on the graduated paper, and also shewing to a.
single point the number scored by each player in each game. The
proprictor of the table therefore need only unlock the case and count
the number of concentric lines drawn upon the graduated card in order
When

page_text: to ascertain not only the number of games played, but also the length
of each game. It will of course be understood that there must be an
indicator for each player, and for billiards where there are only two sides.
two indicators should be combined in one case.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1, Sheet I., is a front external
elevation of the apparatus complete; Fig. 1 is an end or edge view of
the same; Fig. 2 is a back view of the same with one of the graduated
cards or papers exposed to view, and shewing a number of games scored
thereon.
Fig. 3, Sheet II., is another elevation of the apparatus drawn upon an
enlarged scale, and with the cover and graduated discs removed in order
to expose to view the internal mechanism; Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical
section of the same; and Fig. 5 is a detached view of the figured
indicating cards for the "spot" ball. In this arrangement two indi-
cating apparatus are combined in one case, one being for the "spot"
and the other for the "plain" ball; but the two apparatus are identical
in all particulars, except that the indicating figures for the spot ball are
made with a white spot or spots thereon. The two indicating or figure
discs are indicated by dotted circles in Figures 1 and 2, and the figures
thereon are made to show through the openings in the front of the casc,
as shewn at Fig. 1. On the axle of the unit disc or card a, Fig. 3, is
mounted a tappet wheel a', which can be turned in either direction with
the disc a by means of a knob or handle a, Figures 1 and 1*, and at
every complete revolution of such disc the tappet b, Fig. 3, on the
wheel a will come against one of the teeth c, c, c, of a star wheel on
the axle of the ten's wheel, and will carry it round one-tenth of a.
revolution, as in ordinary counting apparatus. A pinion a³, Fig. 3, on
the axle or spindle of the unit disc and tappet wheel a¹ gears into and
drives a large toothed wheel d, which is mounted but turns freely on the
axle or spindle c³ of the ten's wheel and the star wheel c. A rectangular
ratchet frame e, e¹, is adapted to the back of the toothed wheel d, and
is provided with a spring pointer f, which is capable of being moved
along the frame e, e, radially from the circumference to the centre of
the wheel d and the fixed ring g which is concentric therewith. A
circular sheet of paper graduated or divided radially into one hundred
parts is placed on the fixed ring g, and is strained over the same, as
indicated by red lines at Fig. 4. It is secured in place by an outer
ring i, and on this graduated paper h is placed a sheet of black paper j
>

page_text: Fig. 3. A rigid flat surface to support the graduated paper and black
paper is provided by the metal plate k, which is hinged to some con-
venient part of the framing, as shewn at Figures 2 and 3.
be
It will now be understood that as the unit disc with its tappet
wheel a' is actuated from the outside by the knob or handle a², the
pinion as will actuate the large toothed wheel d, and will thus carry
round the rectangular ratchet frame e and the holder f of the spring
pointer, the tracing instrument or point 1 of which will be made by
its spring attachments to bear against the back of the graduated disc
or sheet of paper h, as shewn at Fig. 4. This, by means of the black
paper j, will cause a circular mark to made on the face of the
graduated paper, as indicated at 2, 2, Fig. 2. When the unit disc and
tappet wheel a have performed one perfect revolution the tappet
will be brought against one of the teeth of the star wheel c, and will
drive it round one-tenth of a revolution. The game may be continued
for any number of points up to one hundred, which is the highest
number the apparatus will indicate. Supposing a game of any number,
say fifty or one hundred, has been played, the apparatus must be reset so
as to begin again at zero; this is effected by turning back the handle a,
Fig. 1, and with it the indicating discs and all the internal mechanism
until the indicating discs arrive at zero. A pin or stud 2 at the lower
end of the ratchet bar e' of the frame e works in a cam slot m of the
plate l, and as the latter with its cam will be stationary for the time
being the pin or stud 2 of the bar e will be made to traverse the slot
until it arrives at the position shewn in the Drawing, whereby the bar e¹
will be pulled up one tooth. When counting for the new game begins,
the pin 2 will be carried back along the slot m, and in so doing will
draw down the bar e¹ the distance of one tooth, and will thereby shift
the pointer nearer to the centre. When the pin 2 of the bar e' arrives
at the end of the slot m the arms of the wheel d will come against the
pins 3 on the plate 1, which will be thereby carried round with the
wheel d. The holder of the spring pointer f is held in position by
the pawl 4, which takes into the teeth of the fixed rack, and is prevented
from moving when the moveable bar e' is thrust back to recommence
the game, as already explained.
From the above description of the operation of the apparatus it will
be understood that the length of the game will be indicated on the
graduated paper by the curved marks made by the pointer, as shown at

page_text: Fig. 2, and that in order to indicate successive games the pointer must
at the commencement of every game be shifted nearer to the centre of
the graduated paper by the action of the ratchet bar e', as already
explained. It will therefore be evident that the proprictor can by simple
inspection of the graduated paper h at once see how many games and
what length of games have been played, and consequently the amount
of money that ought to have been received in payment. When the
graduated paper is sufficiently full it may be removed, and a fresh sheet
put in its place. The holder of the spring pointer must then be pushed
back up to the top of the frame e, so as to commence marking at the
outer part of the graduated paper.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1, Sheet III., is a front external
elevation of a modification of the apparatus just described; Fig. 2* is a
back view of the same with the back plate and the graduated card or
paper removed in order to expose to view the mechanism beneath';
Fig. 3 is a detached view of the back plate which covers up the
mechanism and supports the graduated paper against the pressure of
the pointer which produces the marks thereon. In this instance this
back plate instead of being hinged is screwed down to brackets n, n.
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan or edge view of the mechanism looking down
from above. The figures on the indicating cards shewn by dots in
Fig. 1 are in succession brought to an opening in the front of the case
so that they may be seen, as shewn in the Drawing.
The unit disc a is mounted on a wheel a¹, the axle of which carries a
pinion a actuated by a worm and winch, as shewn by dotted lines in
Fig. 1. The wheel a¹ is provided with a sector rack b consisting of five
teeth, which gear into and drive a toothed wheel c on the axis of the
ten's wheel or disc. The wheel c consists of fifty teeth, so that every
time the unit disc and wheel makes a revolution the sector 6 will carry
round the ten's wheel c and its figured disc one-tenth of a revolution.
On the axle of the unit disc and wheel a¹ is a pinion a', which gears into
and drives a large toothed wheel & mounted on but made to turn freely
on the axle c¹ of the ten's wheel. In a rectangular fram e fixed to
the wheel d, and therefore rotatory therewith, is mounted a spring
pointer holder f, shewn detached and drawn on an enlarged scale at
Fig. 5, and hereafter more particularly described. Instead of the
holder fof the spring pointer being shifted by the cam m on the plate
acting on a pin or stud at the end of the ratchet bar e', as shewn at

page_text: Fig. 3, Sheet II., a pin or stud at the upper end of the rod e¹ is made to
take into a spring switch box m, shewn detached on an enlarged scale at
Fig. 5; this switch box m works in a groove made on the under side of
a stationary ring p. It will be seen that the cam or slot in the switch
box m is not concentric or parallel with the groove in the ring p, and
therefore when the pin of the rod e' is carried to one end of the groove
the rod e will be drawn up, and when it is carried back again it will
be thrust down, and will thereby move forward the holder of the spring
pointer towards the centre precisely as in the other case. It has been
already stated that the ten's wheel c is moved round one-tenth of a
revolution by the sector rack & for every complete revolution of the unit's
wheel; it will only be necessary therefore to state that the ten's wheel is
kept steady (until its time for moving again arrives) by means of the
spring stop 9, which takes into the notches of the star wheel r.
Having now described my Invention of "Improved Apparatus for
Indicating the Points Made and Registering the Number of Games
Played at Billiards and other Games of Skill," and having explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention
secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, marking or indicating
the points and registering the number of games played at billiards or
other games of skill on a graduated paper disc or other surfaces, as
herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John James Cousins, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twelvth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.