A. NEW OR IMPROVED BILLIARD TABLE DETECTOR CLOCK
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Guy Wilson, of the City of Manchester, Mechanical
Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "A. NEW OR IMPROVED
BILLIARD TABLE DETECTOR CLOCK." A communication from abroad by
Edward Pfitzner, of Breslau, in the Empire of Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Guy Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th May 1878.
JOHN GUY WILSON, of the City of Manchester, Mechanical Engineer and Patent
Agent. 'A NEW OR IMPROVED BILLIARD TABLE DETECTOR CLOCK." A commu-
nication from abroad by Edward Pfitzner, of Breslau, in the Empire of Germany.
The object of this Invention is the construction of a billiard table detector clock
or apparatus which will show at a glance how long the table to which it is attached
has been played upon.
It consists of a box containing clock mechanism, which is locked up in an inner
compartment, but the dial of which is visible from the outside. An outer compart-
ment of this box is provided with, say, three recesses to receive the billiard balls,
and through the centre or bottom of each of which recesses a pin is caused to pro-
trude. These pins are each connected to one arm of a lever mounted in the inner
compartment, and the other arm of which, in the case of two of the levers, is
arranged to come in contact with a slide when the billiard balls are not in the
recesses, and to be released therefrom when the weight of the balls, through
occupying the recesses, presses upon the pins; the other arm of the third lever is
in contact with an angular lever, which is arranged to press against the slide herein-
before mentioned, and thus cause the same when released as aforesaid to slide
sideways, and by so doing to push a lever (mounted upon an incline beneath the
Die C73

page_text: clock escapement) into contact with the escapement wheel, and thus to stop the
clock.
The outer compartment is provided with a door on the upper side for introducing
and withdrawing the billiard balls, and with a false bottom so hinged in position
as to be capable of forming an inclined plane in either direction to guide the balls
into the recesses when held up by a suitable projecting knob in one direction, and
to facilitate the withdrawal of the balls when inclined in the other direction, the
balls being first pushed out of the recesses when they are required by means of a
suitable hinged flap, also controlled by a knob from the outside.
The action of this apparatus is as follows:-So long as the balls are in their
respective recesses the clock is prevented going, but as soon as they are all removed
the slide herein-before mentioned is caused to release the escapement wheel, and
the clock commences to go, hence indicating the time during which the balls aro
in use.
-
Instead of employing the weight of three balls to control the clock mechanism it 1
will be obvious that two balls, or even one, might be used for the same purpose, the
mechanism being modified accordingly.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Guy Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
November 1878.
JOHN GUY WILSON, of the City of Manchester, Mechanical Engineer and Patent
Agent. "A NEW OR IMPROVED BILLIARD TABLE DETECTOR CLOCK." A. commu-
nication from abroad by Edward Pfitzner, of Breslau, in the Empire of Germany.
The object of this Invention is the construction of a billiard table detector clock
or apparatus which will shew at a glance how long the table to which it is attached
has been played upon.
And in order that the said Invention may be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect, I have hereunto annexed a Drawing, upon which,-
Fig. 1 represents a side and Fig. 2 an end sectional view of the improved appa-
ratus constituting this Invention; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of Fig. 1 along the
line a, b, d.
Figs. 4 and 5 represent some details of the mechanism upon a larger scalc.
The apparatus consists of a box A containing clock mechanism, which is locked
up in an inner compartment B, but the dial C of which is visible from the outside.
This clock mechanism is not shewn on the Drawing, being of the ordinary descrip-
tion, controlled by an escapement wheel, which is marked D. E is an outer com-

page_text: partment partially divided by partitions F and F', as illustrated, and provided
with three recesses I., II, and III., to receive the billiard balls. Through the
centre or bottom of each of these recesses a pin (severally marked x, y, and 2)
protrudes, and each of which pins is connected to one arm of a lever (severally
marked h, g, and f) mounted in the inner compartment, and the other arm of
which, in the case of the two levers and f, is arranged to come in contact with a
slot formed to receive it in the sliding bar K when the billiard balls are not in
their recesses, and to be released therefrom when the weight of tho balls, through
occupying the recesses, presses upon the pins; the other arm of the third lever his
in contact with an angular lever n which is arranged to press against the sliding
bar K, and thus cause the same, when released as aforesaid, to slide sideways, and
by so doing to push the finger 7 (mounted upon an incline m beneath the clock
escapement) into contact with the escapement wheel D, and thus to stop the
clock.
The outer compartment E is provided with a door b on the upper side for intro-
ducing and withdrawing the billiard balls, and with a false bottom d¹ so hinged in
position, as illustrated, as to be capable of forming an inclined plane in either
direction to guide the balls into the recesses when held up by the protruding
knob d in one direction, and to facilitate the withdrawal of the balls when inclined
in the other direction, the balls being first pushed out of the recesses when they are
required by means of the hinged flap e controlled from the outside by the pro-
truding knob e¹.
The mode of using and action of this detector clock may be described as
follows: The billiard table proprietor when desirous of employing the detector
clock unlocks the door at the bottom of the inner compartment, and thus obtain
access to the clock mechanism, which he winds up, and sots the hands, pointing to,
say, to 12 o'clock, when he again locks the door. The trap door b is now opened
by means of the bolt c and the three billiard balls are then put into the outer
compartment E, and the knob d being raised to bring the false bottom d' into an
inclined position to allow the balls to run into their several recesses I., II., and III.,
and thus by their weight pressing upon the pins the clock is stopped. Having
performed these manipulations the billiard table proprietor hands the whole appa-
ratus to the billiard marker. As soon as the balls are required for play the marker
raises the knob e¹, as indicated by the arrow, and the balls becoming thus raised
out of their recesses run back to the place where they were first introduced, and
may be taken out for use. From this instant the clock commences to go, and con-
tinue until the balls are again replaced in the box in the manner herein-before
described. When the clock is examined at the end of the day the marker has to
account for the amount of time shewn by the dial.
The levers fand g, as well as the bar K. and finger l, are restored to their places
self-actingly by means of springs as soon as the balls are taken out of their
recesses.
Instead of employing the weight of three balls to control the clock mechanism, it
will be obvious that two balls, or even one, might be used for the same purpose,
the mechanism being modified accordingly.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, together with the best methods with which I am acquainted for carrying the
same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not con-
fine myself to the precise details, relative proportions, or dimensions of the various
parts of the apparatus herein-before described, and illustrated on the accompanying
Drawing, as the same may be considerably varied without departing from the In-
vention, and I claim,―
First. The general construction and arrangement of mechanism whereby the weight
of the billiard balls is used to control clockwork to indicate the time during which
a billiard table is in use, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated on
the accompanying Drawing.

page_text: Second. The use and application of the finger I mounted on the incline m for
stopping the escapement of clock mechanism by the weight of billiard balls, as and
for the purposes described, and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Guy Wilson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
JOHN G. WILSON. (LS.)