A New Parlour Game, and Apparatus to be Used in Playing the said Game.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date o Application, 30th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 30th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 1st Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New Parlour Game, and Apparatus to be Used in Playing the
said Game.
I, CHARLES EDWARD MASTERMAN, of Greenlees, Northwood, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My present invention relates to a new game of skill to be played indoors.
The game is to be played upon a board or foundation of wood or other suitable
material, and of any desired size and shape, but preferably rectangular, and it is
played in the following manner:
Near one end of the board is arranged at one side a device (hereinafter
described), by which a ball, such as a marble, or other freely moving object is
caused to move at a moderate speed across the board. The device by which the
impulsion of the ball is effected is capable of movement round its centre, and is so
arranged that whilst the ball is always delivered with the same velocity, the
direction of its movement may be varied within certain limits, so that it can be
directed toward one or other of a series of holes, or recesses, at the other side of
the board, into a determined one of which it is the object of the player to
deliver it.
At or near the other end of the board I arrange a small spring gun or other
equivalent device, also capable of turning horizontally upon its centre, from which
the other player can discharge a suitable missile, his object being to strike the ball
whilst it is travelling across the other end of the board as already described.
The contrivance by which the ball is caused to travel across the board in the
direction of the holes as described, consists preferably of a hollow turret-shaped
device into the upper end of which the ball is dropped by the player, and after
descending to the bottom passes down an inclined shoot out of an aperture at the
side so that it is discharged with sufficient velocity to travel at the desired speed
across the board. The turret device turns upon a vertical axis, so that the
discharge opening may be directed to either of the opposite holes.
The holes are numbered with different numbers, and the player who succeeds
in sending the ball into either of the holes scores the number of points with which
that particular hole is marked, whilst if the other player succeeds in hitting the
ball, he scores a number of points previously agreed upon.
Among the holes numbered with different numbers as described, are one or more
which the player must avoid, the number upon either of such holes entered by
the ball being deducted from the score of the player, or added to that of his .
adversary.
A boundary line may be marked round the turret-device within which the ball
may not be struck, under the penalty of the forfeiture of a certain number of
points.
It is evident that the method of playing the novel game may be varied more or
less in its details, and it may be played by two or more players, or even by one
player who delivers the ball with one hand, and discharges the missile with the
other.
Dated this 30th day of January 1801

page_text: A New Parlour Game, and Apparatus to be Used in Playing the
said Game.
1, CHARLES EDWARD MASTERMAN, of Greenlees, Northwood, in the County
of Middlesex, 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 and accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
My present invention relates to a new game of skill to be played indoors. The
accompanying drawing is in illustration of the invention, Figure 1 being a plan of
the board upon which it is to be played, Figure 2 a transverse section through the
line a-y, (Figure 1), and Figure 3 an end view.
The game is played upon a board or foundation of wood, cardboard, or other
suitable material, and of any desired size and shape, but preferably rectangular,
and it is played in the following manner:
Near one end of the board a (which has a rim a' of sufficient height round it),
is arranged at one side at ba device (hereinafter described), by which a ball c
such as a marble, or other freely moving object is caused to move at a moderate
speed across the board. The device by which the impulsion of the ball is effected
is capable of horizontal movement round its centre, and is so arranged that whilst
the ball c is always delivered with the same velocity, the direction of its movement
may be varied within certain limits, so that it can be directed toward one or other
of a series of holes, or recesses, d, d, d, at the opposite side of the board, into a
particular one of which it is the object of the player to deliver it.
At or near the other corner of the board I arrange a small spring gun e or other
equivalent device, also capable of turning horizontally upon a centre f, from which
the other player can discharge a suitable missile g, his object being to strike
the ball c whilst it is travelling across the other end of the board as already
described.
The contrivance 6 by which the ball is caused to travel across the board in the
direction of the holes as described, consists preferably (as shewn in section upon a
larger scale in Figure 4), of a hollow turret-shaped device h, into the upper end
of which the ball c is dropped by the player, and after descending to the bottom
passes out of an aperture at the side and down an inclined shoot i so that it is
discharged with sufficient velocity to travel at the desired speed across the board.
The turret device turns upon a vertical axis, or foundation k, so that the discharge
opening or shoot i may be directed to either of the opposite holes. The part h
may be adjustable in length, so that the height through which the ball falls can
be varied.
The holes d, d, d, are numbered with different numbers or marks and the player
who succeeds in sending the ball c into either of the holes scores the number of
points with which that particular bole is marked, whilst if the other player
succeeds in hitting the ball with the ball g, he scores a number of points previously
agreed upon.
Among the holes numbered with different numbers as described, are one or more
(shewn marked with a *), which the player must avoid, the number upon either
of such holes entered by the ball being deducted from the score of the player, or
added to that of his adversary. The method of scoring may be varied more or
less as may be agreed.
A boundary line may be marked round the turret device or other part of the
board, within which the ball may not be struck, under the penalty of the forfeiture
of a certain number of points.
A part of the board a is shewn somewhat sunk at m, so that the balls are
prevented from rolling about, l, I show receptacles in which the balls can be kept.

page_text: It is evident that the method of playing the novel game may be varied more
or less in its details, and it may be played by two or more players, or even
by one player, who delivers the ball with one hand, and discharges the missile
with the other.
I do not confine myself to the precise shape and method of arrangement of
the apparatus described, nor to the exact method of playing the game, which
may be varied more or less.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The novel game, in which a ball is discharged by one player in the proper
direction to enter one of a series of holes or recesses, whilst the other player
discharges a second ball from an adjustable propelling device, with the object
of striking the first ball during its passage, the winning of the game being
dependent upon the success of one or other player, substantially as described and
illustrated.
2. For the purpose of playing the game described and claimed in Claim 1, the
combination with the board or table a having a rim a', of the recesses d, d, d, d,
the adjustable propelling device b, and the adjustable shooting device e, sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated.
3. The adjustable propelling device consisting of the turret h, capable of
revolving horizontally upon a foundation k, and provided with a lateral opening
and inclined shoot i, arranged and operating substantially in the manner described,
and illustrated in Figure 4.
Dated this 30th day of October 1894.
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 & 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.