US371340A - James p - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. P. MQOORMIOK.

GAME.

,340. Patented Oct. 11, 1887.

WITNESSES.

NY PETERS, Puma-Lithographer. W1sh|ng|0n.D C-

1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. MCCORMICK, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

GAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 371,340, dated October 11, 1887.

Application filed January 22, 1887. Serial No. 225,162. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES F. IVICCORMIOK, of the town of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention relates to a table having at one end a series of shelves or ballreceptacles supported by tipping levers, and balls which may be rolled upon said table to run onto and depress said shelves, thus throwing up the other end of the lever on which the particular shelf is mounted and raising a corresponding shelf on said other end, so that no ball can roll thereon, whereby by means of a predetermined system of numbers, in connection with said shelves, the result of the game may be ascertained, as will be hereinafter more particularly described.

My improvements will first be fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a gametable embodying my said invention; Fig. 2, an end elevation; Fig. 3, a longitudinal vertical section of the same on the dotted line 3 3 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, similar to a portion .of Fig. 3, omitting all but one of the shelves and levers; and Fig. 5, a detail view similar to a portion of Fig. 2.

In said drawings, the portions marked A represent the bed of the table; B, the tipping levers, and G the balls.

The table A is preferably constructed in a triangular form, as shown, and-should have rails A on its two principal sides, preferably provided with cushions, similarly to the rails of a billiard-table. It should also have a central partition or cushion, A", extending from its broad end up about three-fourths of its length, and one or more removable rails or buffers adapted to be placed across its narrow end at such points as may be desired; or such removable rails may be left out altogether, leaving an open passageway or gate at the extreme point of the table, out of whichthe balls, when unskillfully rolled, may pass. A chute, A is provided, extending from this gate back underneath the table to the end where the players stand, so that balls which pass through said gate may return to a position convenient to said players, instead of falling onto the floor or elsewhere. Some of the positions which these removable rails or buffers may occupy are indicated by dotted lines, and one, A is shown in position. W'hen in this position, the table is practically shortened that much, as the space beyond it cannot be used in playing the game. The triangular form of the table is for the purpose of rendering the slots more difficult to make, and, as it is entirely practicable to play the game 011 a table of a different form, (6. square,) I do not desire to limit myself to the form shown, but may vary it at pleasure; The lower end of the table is formed with a depression extending across its whole width, in which the levers B are situated. A crossrail, A", extends across from one side rail A to the other at a sufficint height, so that the ball when returning to the broad end of the table will not roll off. Each one of the shelves, as will be hereinafter described, is steadied or held to position by a wire, which extends from this rail A down through said shelf to the bottom of the depressed portion of the table. This table, when in position for use, has its narrow end raised somewhat, so that a ball, when rolled up to said narrow end around the central partition, will roll back to the broad end and onto one of the shelves or ball-receptacles, without reference to whethersufiicient force has been used in rolling it to give it the required travel, and thus it is insured that no ball shall stop in the middle of the table, it being sufficient for the player to useforce enough only in rolling it to cause it topass beyond the upper end of the central partition.

The tipping levers B have two fulcruins, as shown, with a flat bearingsurface between, and when the game is started they rest upon this flat bearing-surface, and the shelves 1) at each end are brought out just even with or a trifle below the level of the surface of the table, as shown. \Vhen, however, a ball is rolled onto one of the shelves, it forces that end of the lever down and the other end up, throwing the shelf on said other end up above the surface of the table, so that no ball can pass thereon. These shelves or ball-receptacles are given numbers, a shelf in one position on one side of the' table being given the same'number as the corresponding shelf on the other side. Reading from the left, I have adopted the series 1, 5, 1, 3, 1, 7, 1, 3, 1, 5, 1, on each side. As will be noticed, the levers extend from one side to theother, and the shelf on one end of the lever is on one side of the table, and the shelf on the other end is on the other side. The shelves are arranged aslight distance apart from each other; but the space between the shelves is not sufficient to permit a ball to fall between them. In order to hold said shelves in the position in which they are placed at all times, wires a pass down through them from the cross-rail A to the bottom of the depressed portion of the table A.

The balls 0 are any ordinary balls desired, but are preferably similar to billiard-balls.

The method of playing the game is as follows: Each player being provided with a sufficient number of balls, one takes his station on one side and the other on the other of the central partition or separating-cushion, A". One then rolls a ball so that on its return it will pass down on his opponents side of the table and roll onto one of the shelves 1) or be tween two of them. If it rolls fairly onto one of the shelves, it counts in the game as many as the number which is attached to said shelf or affixed to the frame alongside it. If it rolls between two shelves and pushes them both down, it counts as many as their combined numbers. At the same time that it counts in this way it throws up shelves on the players own side of the table, thus preventing the opposing player from making the same number. \Vhen a ball rolls against a raised shelf, or if the cross-rails or buffers A are left out and it rolls out of the open end or gate, it counts as a dead ball. The players play alternately, and the game continues until one'or the other has occupied all the shelves or ball-receptacles in his opponents side of the table, or until a certain number of counts have been made, as may be agreed upon.

' I am aware that game'tables have been provided with levers arranged to operate mechanism for. indicating the game when they are struck by a ball; but I am not aware of any construction similar to that herein shown and claimed. V

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

ion, and having tippinglevers carrying shelves at its broad end, and balls which,when rolled onto said shelves, will tip said levers, substantially as set forth.

3. A game-table having a central partition or cushion and adjustable and removable cross-rails or buffers adapted to be inserted across the front end of said table, substantially as set forth.

4. A gametable triangular in form having a central partition or cushion extending up from its broad end toward its narrow end, and provided with counting mechanism at said broad end, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a table having partitions, as described, and balls which are rolled on said table, of a system of tipping levers, each lever extending from one side of said table across to the other side,and having a shelf or ball-receptacle on each end,whereby when a ball is rolled onto one shelf or ball-receptacle the other end will be forced up in position, so that no ball can be rolled thereon, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination,with a game-table having a system of tipping levers carrying shelves or ball-receptacles, of guide-wires extending through the edges of said shelves or ball-receptacles and attached to stationary parts of the frame of the table, thus holding said shelves or ball-receptacles to position, substantially as set forth.

7. A game-table triangularin general form, provided with a system of numbers across its broad end and having a central partition extending up from said broad end toward the narrow end, said narrow end being adapted to be-left open when desired, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my Ice hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 15th day of January, A. D. 1887.

JAMES F. MCCORMICK. [L. s.]

In presence of- I O. BRADFORD, CHARLES L. THURBER.

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