Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating the Time Taken in Playing the Game of Billiards and the Charge Payable therefor.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating the Time Taken in
Playing the Game of Billiards and the Charge Payable
therefor.
I, HEINRICH VON LEESEN, of 4, Breite Strasse, Vosskathe, by Itzehoe,
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, Gentleman, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for indicating the time
taken in playing the game of billiards, and the charge payable therefor, and
consists of an apparatus for containing billiard balls and for indicating the time
during which such balls are absent from the container, whereby a record is
obtained of the time during which such balls are in play without the services of
an attendant being required.
In the drawings hereto annexed :-
Figure 1 shews a front elevation of the apparatus,
Figure 2 is a back view of same, the back of the case baving been taken off, in
order to afford a clear view of the arrangement of the inner mechanism.
Figure 3 is a front view of the essential parts of the mechanism, fitted to the
backplate A.
Figure 4 is a side view of the same.
The apparatus principally consists of a clock-work provided with a balance
wheel escapement. The works are wound by the winding arbor B and are con-
tained in a wooden case, upon which there are three cups a, b, and c, which serve
for holding the billiard balls. If the balls are in their cups, the weight of the
ball which is in cup 6 stops the clockwork.
b
This stoppage of the clockwork is brought about in the following manner :
In the cup b (Figures 1 and 2) there is a movable plate d. If a ball is put into
this cup, it presses the plate d down to the bottom of the cup by means of its
weight. When the plate d moves downward, the bar d' pushes the lever e--which
is attached to it by means of a pin joint, and which has its fulcrum in the screw f
which is made fast to the top of the case,-downwards, and the opposite end of the
lever e moves upwards and raises the bar g. The bar g at its lower end has a
hook i, which, upon the said bar moving upwards, engages with the counter balance
weight end of the clockwork escapement lever h, which causes the clock to stop.
If the plate d is relieved of the weight-on-it by the ball being removed, it is again
pushed upwards by a spiral spring k. At the same time the escapement lever is
released by the hook (Figures 1 and 2) and the clock again starts going.
The face (Figure 1) of the charge dial a bears a number of numerals which
indicate the prices payable for the hire of a billiard table and balls for various
periods.
In the smaller circle of numerals are indicated the hours, 1 to 12. As the charge
for the use of a billiard table and balls per hour varies in every establishment, the
charge dial is so arranged that it can be exchanged for others.
In Figure 2 are shewn the internal numeral discs and m, which turn on the
axes and m³ and which are not visible on the outside of the apparatus. The
disc is, at its circumference, provided with ratchet teeth, and on its surface with
a number of numerals indicating the charge for the use of the billiard table, and
as it coincides with the large hand, it is made use of when it is desired to return
such hand to its zero position, from the rear of the apparatus. A pawl n' gears
into the teeth of the disc l. This pawl is attached to the lower end of the fixed
pointer n, and is kept in gear with the disc by means of a spring, for the

page_text: purpose of keeping the disc from going back. The ratchet wheel q, is fixed to
the shaft by means of a pin. When the shaft 18 turns, the teeth of the ratchet
wheel gear with the pawl r attached to the disc l, and thereby cause the disc to
turn with the shaft. The larger outside pointer indicating the charge (and mounted
on shaft 3), and the disc 1, move forward from number to number with an inter-
mittent motion, whereas the small hand (mounted on hollow shaft ), shewing the
time, moves continuously while the clock is, of which B is the winding arbor,
working. The mechanism which causes the periodical advance of the large hand
as well as of the disc l, consists of the following parts. On the shaft l', which is
bored hollow from end to end, and through which the shaft passes, and on which
shaft the large hand is fixed (in the front), and the disc (behind)-the disc u
is loosely fitted, and bears upon the same with gentle friction, which is provided by
the tripod spring v held by the screw-nut z¹. On this disc u the cam u' is arranged.
The function of this cam is to disengage the spring arm z (which, as well as the
pinion wheel 22, is firmly fixed on the shaft 3), when such arm z lays itself behind
one of the saw teeth of the fixed rack w. The disc u, which, as already mentioned
is carried loosely on the shaft 1, with gentle friction, turns round with this shaft,
and the cam u¹ is pushed in under the spring arm z, and gradually raises it so high
that it can slip over the tooth against which it was hitherto lying, and then it lays
itself against the next tooth. This is repeated as long as the clock (of which B is
the winding arbor) is going. The advance of the spring arm z and the pinion
wheel is brought about by the spring actuated wheel and as the pinion
wheel and the spring arm z are firmly fitted to the shaft, the large pointer as
well as the disc advance synchronously therewith. The wheel p is driven by
means of the spring s. When the spring arm is lifted by the cam u' over the
point of the tooth which prevents it from advancing, it advances by one tooth, but
by one tooth only, as the arm z, being no longer lifted by the cam u' has gone
back into its original position on account of its elasticity. By means of the tooth
wheel o which turns on the fixed shaft o', motion is suitably transmitted to the
disc m.
The wheel o gears with the wheel which is connected to the disc / by
means of the collar l', and motion is transmitted to the disc m, by the wheel m²
(connected with the disc m by means of the collar m') gearing with the wheel o.
The wheel o is necessary here, because the discs um do not turn at the same
speed. The dial m is a tell-tale dial and is divided into 24 points, representing
hours.
After the play is completed, or when the hands have advanced until they have
reached their final position, it is necessary to bring the hands of the apparatus
back again into their original position. This final position is at the figure 75, as
regards the large hand, and at 12 for the small hand. When the hands are in
their former position, the discs and m have also resumed their former position.
The pinion wheel fitted on shaft and connected with spring z, turns back the
tooth wheel p by so much as it has previously advanced, when the shaft is moved
backwards by means of the large hand being turned back. As the spring s is
hooked onto the arbor of the wheel p (Figure 3), the spring is rewound when the
wheel is turned back. The spring arm, firmly connected with the pinion
wheel, must also join in the backward movement. In doing so it slides over the
oblique faces of the teeth of the rim w, and becomes hooked behind the cam u¹,
and draws the disc u back with it. On this account it is necessary to arrange the
disc u with gentle friction cn shaft 1.
In operation, before commencing to play, the balls are removed from their cups
and the clockwork is released. The disc which is fitted on the shaft 1 with
gentle friction, disengages the spring arm 2 by means of its cam u. This
spring (forced to do so by the wheel p provided with the spring s) moves
forward by one tooth of the fixed rack w, and with it of course goes the shaft 1,
because it is fixed thereto, and with the shaft moves the large hand. The small
hand is mounted on the shaft l, which is driven in a suitable manner by means of
the train wheels which are in every clock, and of which B is the winding arbor,

page_text: whilst the disc 1, which is coupled with the shaft by means of the ratchet wheel y,
and the pawl r, is also moved on. After finishing playing the balls are replaced
in their cups, whereby the clock is stopped, and shews at a glance how long the
game has lasted, and what is to pay for the hire of the balls and table. When
this has been done the hands are turned back into their original position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for indicating the time taken in playing the game of billiards and
the charge payable therefor, in which a time indicating pointer is given continuous
motion and a charge indicating pointer periodical motion by means of clockwork
substantially as described, such clockwork being controlled by lever mechanism
operated by the weight of a billiard ball and adapted to be released when the
weight of such ball is removed and to be arrested upon the return of such ball to
the apparatus.
2. In apparatus of the type above set forth the use of mechanism consisting of
a rack such as w provided with inclined teeth which engage with a spring arm
such as z which latter is released by means of a cam such as u', and a spring
actuated wheel p adapted to drive the shaft 3 and parts gearing with it upon the
release of such arm; substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated this 6th day of Anril 1893
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.