US2587618A

US2587618A - Cribbage scorekeeper

Info

Publication number: US2587618A
Application number: US162917A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hicks Robert Roy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-05-26
Filing date: 1950-05-19
Publication date: 1952-03-04
Anticipated expiration: 1969-03-04

Description

Patented Mar. 4, 1952 2,587,618 CRIBBAGE SCOREKEEPER Robert Roy Hicks, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application May- 19, 195

In Canada M 4- Claims. (01. 235-418) My invention relates to improvements in score-keeping devices and particularly pertains to; apparatus for recording the tallyof the individual players during a game of cribbage.

The invention has. for an object toprovide a score-keeping device of this kind comprising a frame or case having a succession of pegging holes numbered from one to ten for registering a score or fraction thereof in units and combined with, a mechanical counter in the nature of a wheel numbered circumferentially from zero to one hundred and twenty in tens and having a portion of its circumference exposed to view through a framed opening. Said wheel is pro vided with ratchet teeth engaged with an ac tuator which isarranged for depression by a peg inserted in the tenth pegging; hole aforesaid. Depression of the actuatorserves to advance the wheel apart of a turn in order that the numerals carried by thhe wheel will be successively ex-. posed to view through the framed opening.

With this arrangement a player can readily indicate the total number of points scored as successive hands are played in a game of cribbage. For example, if a player scores nine points in the first hand then this is indicated by inserting a peg in the pegging hole of this numher, and if eighteen points is scored in the second hand then the aggregate score for the two hands of twenty-seven points would be indicated by removing the peg and inserting it in the tenth hole and depressing it twice so as to bring the figure twenty into the framed. op nin Wh reupon the peg, is removed and. placed in the number seven pegging hole. By reading the number p rin in he. framed. opening. n m ntal y adding the number of the pegged hole the score of twenty-seven points is indicated. In this way the score of the player can be kept throughout the game in an easy and quick manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an article of this kind constructed with a pocket for holding a deck of playing cards, and in which duplicate score-keeping devices are provided, one for each player.

With these and subsidiary objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts as described in the ensuing specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a front end view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the device.

Fig. 4 is a sectionized fragmentary plan view of the device showing the nism.

mechanical mecha- 0, Serial No. 162,917

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

In the selected embodiment of the invention the device embodies a framed open ng A formed in the top wall B of a case or the like which is generally indicated at C. Said opening is disposed at the front of a chamber D, which is formed, in part by the inner side Wall E and outer wall A wheel G is rotatably mounted in said chamber by an axle H located so that an area. of the periphery is exposed at the opening A. On the periphery of said wheel here is provided a zero marking and a se quence of numbers reading from ten to one bun-- tired and twenty in tens as denoted at I.

Said wheel is supplied with a circular series of one-way ratchet teeth J, one of which is engaged byact-uator K. The actuator is shown as a torsional spring having a coiled portion L se cured in said chamber by a fastener M. One arm N of the actuator is suitably fixed in order that theother arm 0 is caused to be. vertically tensioned in upward direction against the head of a. pin P. j shoulders it i the top wall of said cham- The shank of the pin is slidahly fitted in a hole Q in the. top wall in order that it may bev depressed to lower the biased arm 0 for causing it to fractionally turn the wheel (3- through an angle equal to a tooth. The teeth correspond to the numbering on the wheel and with each depression of the pin the wheel is advanced to bring the succeeding number into, view within the framed opening or sight A. A pawl or click R operates to preclude retrograde movemeritv or the wheel. The pawl or click is represented as a resilient wire element but could be otherwise made up since such an expedient is well known. It will be noted from Figure 5 that the pin P is disposed below the upper end of the hole Q which enables, an ordinary peg S to be inserted in the hole for depressing the pin.

The hole Q is one of a series of pegging holes, ten in number, which are formed in the top wall B and preferably arranged in a circle. The hole Q is numbered 10 and the other holes, indicated at T, are numbered from one to nine, as

to hold the peg S convenient for use in the playing of a game. When the score-keeping device is not in use the peg is stored in a hole V in the front end of the frame or case Csee Figure 1.

From the preceding description it will be understood that the index wheel G co-operates with the pegging holes Q and T in indicating the tally.

For example, to indicate a score of 18 points the player inserts the peg in the hole Q and depresses the pin P thereby causing the arm of the actuator to turn the wheel from zero to 10. The peg is then placed in hole 8. Further, if 9 points are scored by the player in the next hand the peg is again used to operate the wheel to bring the the number 20 into the sight A and then the peg is placed in the hole marked 7, which shows a total of 2'! points. A tally is kept in this manner throughout the game. The case C is desirably provided with a set of numbered holes as at W in which another peg can be placed to denote the games won.

It will be seen from are two score-keeping the drawings that there devices embodied in the case, one for each player. A cavity is formed in the case between the inner walls E, which is closed at one end by the rear wall X and open at the other in order to provide a pocket Y in which a deck of playing cards can be placed when not in use. The pocket is closed at the front end by a cover in the form of a slide plate Y. The side plate also covers the apertures in which the pegs are stored when' not wanted. As customary,

the peg used for indicating games won may be placed in a hole as at 2 at the start of play.

The invention provides a highly serviceable and practical device for keeping score in cribbage. It is not intended however to limit the use of the device and it will be manifest that such changes and variations of the invention may be resorted to as fairly come within the scopeof the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A score-keeping device comprising a chambered case having a top wall apertured to provide a plurality of numbered pegging holes and a sight leading to the chamber, a wheel jou'rnalled in said chamber to expose a peripheral area in said sight, said wheel bearing a circumscribing series of numbers for successively registering with said sight in rotative movement of the wheel, a pin slidably engaged in one of said pegging holes and terminating short of the upper end thereof, means restraining said pin against upward movement, and actuating means in said case for imparting a fractional turn to said wheel, said actuating means including a self returning element positioned beneath said pin and movable downwardly thereby when the pin is depressed for imparting a fractional turn to said wheel. I

2. A score-keeping device comprising a chambered case having a top wall apertured to provide a resilient actuator in said a plurality of numbered pegging holes and a sight leading to the chamber, a wheel journalled in said chamber to expose a peripheral area in said sight, said wheel bearing a circumscribing series of numbers for successively registering with said sight in rotative movement of the wheel, one way ratchet teeth on said wheel, an actuator in said chamber having a member resiliently engaged with said teeth and operable on depression to rotate said wheel fractionally in one direction, a pin slidably fitted in one of said pegging holes and engaged with said actuator whereby to depress said member thereof, and means for preventing said wheel from turning in reverse direction.

3. A score-keeping device comprising a chambered case having a top wall apertured to provide a plurality of numbered pegging holes and a sight leading to the chamber, a wheel journalled in said chamber to expose a peripheral area in said sight, said wheel bearing a circumscribing series of numbers for successively registering with said sight in rotative movement of the wheel, one-way ratchet teeth on said wheel, chamber, said actuator having a first arm and sioned by an interposed coil, said second arm being affixed relative to the first arm and said coil being fastened to said case, said first arm being engaged with said ratchet teeth and operable on depression to rotate said wheel fractionally in one direction, a pin slidably fitted in one of said pegging holes and engaged with said first arm to depress the same when pressed by a peg, and means for preventing said wheel from turning in a reverse direction.

4. -A structure as defined in claim 3, in which the pegging holes are circularly arranged and numbered from one to ten, and in which the wheel is numbered from ten to one-hundred and.

twenty in tens.

ROBERT ROY HICKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 219,258 Harrison Sept. 2, 1879 295,488 Daugherty Mar. 18, 1884 578,906 Wood Mar. 16, 1897 835,218 Edsall Nov. 6, 1906 1,738,909 Kurz Dec. 10, 1929 a second arm ten-