A New or Improved Game.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 30th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 27th June, 1896
A New or Improved Game.
HARRY OWEN ROBERTS 4 Commercial Road Gloucester JOHN OWEN
ROBERTS, 8 Parliament Street Gloucester, Manufacturers &c. of Parlour and other
Games, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
(1.) One small ball made of wood, glass or any other suitable material, this for
the purposes of the game is termed the drake.
(2.) Five (or it may be mole, or less) balls made of wood, glass or any other
suitable material, these for the purposes of the game are called the ducks.
(3.) A comical shaped cncle made of wood cardboard or any other suitable
material for the purpose of placing the drake on.
(4) Five (or it may be more or less) lings made of ion, steel, rubber, card-
board, or any suitable material, these for the purposes of the game are called the
ponds or dens for the ducks.
(5.) Five (or it may be more or less) pieces of wood about 6 or 8 inches long
Scooped out to form a groove or shute, these are for the purpose of letting the
balls (ducks) 1oll down (when held in a slanting position) & thus propelling them
& enabling the players to aim at the diake on the cucle.
(6.) One rod made of wood or any other suitable material padded at one end or
otherwise made soft.
The game of ducks & drake may be played by any number of players & is
conducted as follows;
The bevelled circle should be placed in the centre of the table, the players
sitting round it.
Each player with the exception of the keeper has one of the rings & places it
on the table in front of him, this is called the den One of the players volunteers
to be keeper, taking the stick & the small ball (drake), the other players each
taking a shute & a coloured ball (duck).
To play the ball the shute is held in the left hand in a slanting position,
placing the lower end on, or nearly un, the table near the edge, placing the ball
(with the right hand) at the top of the groove & letting it un down (uot push
down). The speed & direction of the balls cau thus be regulated.
The game is started by placing the diake on the bevelled circle & the players
in turn trying to knock off the diake with their balls. When players do not
succeed in Loching off the drake, they must let then balls remain where they
may have rolled, until someone is successful in accomplishing it, when they may
each snatch up a ball (not necessarily their own) from the table & place it in their
den before the drake is put on the circle again.
Should however the keeper after placing the diake in position again, touch the
hand of either of the players with the stick or rod, before he has placed the ball
in his den, this player becomes the keeper & the former one a player.
A player must not touch the balls that are played unless the drake is knocked
off, except in the event of all the balls being played, when any player may
endeavour to get a ball home, but always subject to the risk of being caught.
The keeper cannot catch a player without the drake is on the cucle. When the
drake is knocked off, every player must have a ball in his den, by the time the
drake has been placed into position again or he may be caught & have to take
keeper.

page_text: A ball rolling off the table must be replaced on the table about 2 inches from
the edge where it rolled off.
The player who becomes keeper the least number of times wins the game.
Dated this 18th day of October 1895.
IIARRY O. ROBERTS.
JOHN O. ROBERTS.
HARRY OWEN ROBERTS, of 4 Commercial Road Gloucester, and JOHN OWEN
ROBERTS of 8 Parliament Street Gloucester, Manufacturers &c. of Parlour and
other Games, 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 :-
(1) One small ball made of wood, glass, or any other suitable material this for
the purposes of the game is termed the "drake."
(2) Five (or it may be more or less) balls made of wood, glass or any other
suitable material, these for the purposes of the game are called the "ducks."
"
on.
(3) A piece of wood, or other suitable material conical shaped, e tapering
almost to a point from a circular base for the purpose of placing the "drake
(4) Five (or it may be more or less) rings made of iron, steel, rubber, card-
board, or any other suitable material, these for the purposes of the game ale called
the "ponds or "deus" for the "ducks"
(5) Five (or it may be more or less) pieces of wood about 6 or 8 inches long
scooped out to form a groove of shute, these are for the purposes of letting the
balls (ducks) 1oll down, when held in a slanting position, and thus propelling them,
and enabling the players to aim at the "diake
on the circle.
(6) One rod made of wood or any other suitable material, padded at one end,
or otherwise made soft, or it may be a stick to which is attached a small ball made
of rubber, or padded with any soft material.
The game of "ducks & drake" may be played by any number of players, and
is ronducted as below;
The bevelled "circle" should be placed in the centre of the table, the players
sitting round it One of the players acts as the "keeper" and takes the small ball,
called the "diake" & the stick. The other players each taking a "shute" & a
coloured ball & one of the rings, this latter being placed on the table in front of
the players, is called the "pond" or "den."
To play the ball (ducks) the shute is held in the left hand in a slanting position,
placing the end farthest from the player, on or nearly on the table, near the edge,
the ball being placed with the night hand, at the top of the groove, & allowed to
run down, not push down. The speed & direction of the balls can thus be
regulated.
The game is started by the "keeper" placing the "diake" on the bevelled cucle,
and the players in turn trying to knock off the "drake" with their balls (ducks).
When players do not succeed in knocking off the "drake," they must let their
balls remain where they may have rolled, until someone is successful in accom-
plishing it, when each player must snatch up a ball (not necessarily then own)
from the table, and place it in their "pond" or "den," before the drake is put on
the cncle
again Should however the keeper after replacing the "drake in
position again, touch with the stick or 1od, the band of either of the playcıs,
before he has placed the ball ("duck") in his "pond" o "den," this player
becomes the "keeper," & the former one a player.
"
A player must not touch the "balls" ("ducks") that are played, unless the

page_text: "
"drake "is knocked off, except in the event of all the balls having been played,
when any player may endeavour to get a ball home, but always subject to the
risk of being caught. The "keeper" cannot catch a player without the "diake'
18 on the circle. When the "drake" is knocked off, every player must have a
ball ("duck") in his "pond or "den
by the time the "druke" has been
replaced into position again or he may be caught, & have to take the "keeper."
A ball rolling off the table must be replaced on the table, about 2 inches from
the edge where it rolled off.
"
The player who becomes "keeper" the least number of times, wins the game.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim 18.
The hereinbefore described combination of articles used in the manner & method
herein described for the purposes of a game.
Dated this 29th day of April 1896.
HARRY O. ROBERTS.
JOHN OWEN ROBERTS.