A New or Improved Skittle Board.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 21st May, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Skittle Board.
I, HEINRICH KRÜGER of 3 Elsasserstrasse Berlin, N. Germany, 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:
My invention relates to a new or improved skittle board which can be readily
converted into an ordinary table by means of mechanism of simple construction.
My new or improved skittle board is fully illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same, and
Figure 2 a plan of the device adjusted as a skittle board, ready to be played upon.
The ball a, which is impelled by means of a billiard cue or the like, rests upon
the board b, in front of the same, while the skittles Z are arranged at the rear
thereof. The ball being propelled in the direction of the skittles, passes, after
having knocked a few of these down, through an opening e into the inclined
channel C. The ball a is prevented from remaining behind the skittles owing to
its being guided into this opening by the inclined planes d, leading thereto, in
combination with a semi-circular band The inclined channel C causes the ball
to roll down towards the bottom of the table, falling into the receptacle e where it
is picked up by the player. The skittles Z can be moreover replaced in an upright
position by the player in his standing posture at the front end of the table this
being effected by the following mechanism. The handle f is connected with the
crank lever g, which is secured to a connecting rod jointed to a lever B and
arranged to bear upon the plate A. Each skittle Z is furnished in the centre of
its basis with a cord k, leading to the plate A. The spring D has a tendency to
press the plate A upwards and to hold the cords in their slackest position. When
the handle is pulled by the player, the plate A sinks while overcoming the power
of the spring D, the cords are uniformly tightened and the skittles which had
fallen are raised again in their upright or standing position. A cover plate E
consisting of two parts which are turned down so as to rest during the play upon
the cross bars F of the feet G of the table, are removed when the skittle table
is used on an ordinary table, and laid upon the edges H of the same, thus entirely
concealing the skittle board.
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) A skittle board convertible into an ordinary table characterized by a plate A,
which, when the device is used as a skittle board, is connected by the cords K with
the skittles Z, and replaces, when depressed, the fallen skittles into their upright
position with the aid of the handle f, and while overcoming the resistance of the
spring D, the ball a used for playing the game being guided by inclined planes d
to an opening c wherefrom it drops on a channel C which leads the same to the
receptacle e substantially as herein described and for the purpose set forth.
(2) In the skittle board above described, the arrangement of the plate E stored
away during the play upon the cross bars connecting the legs of the board and
placed upon the edges of the board, for the purpose of converting the board into
an ordinary table, substantially as herein described and shown.
Dated thin 7th dow of Al 1000
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.