US536445A - Chip-holder and game-counter - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

B. D. ROCKWELL. CHIP HOLDER AND GAME COUNTER.

No. 536,445' Patented Mar. 26, 1895.

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EDWARD D. ROCIUVELL, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT.

CHIP-HOLDER AND GAME-COUNTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,445, dated March 26, 1895. Application filed March 26. 1894. Renewed January 9, 1895. Serial No. 4,402. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD DAYTON RooK- WELL, of Bristol, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chip- Holders and Game-Tallies, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to game counters generally, whereby points made or lost in a game may be readily and accurately kept, and whereby, also, the progress of the game may be ascertained at a glance and without the necessity of computation.

The invention is particularly applicable to use in the playing of drive whist and similar games of cards.

It is the object of the invention to provide means by which the counter or tally chips or buttons can be most conveniently retained in place and exchanged, and the gains and losses of the player indicated without the necessity of any counting or computing.

The invention consists of a short bar or rod adapted to receive thereon counters or chips and to normally retain the same thereon, and yet permit them to be readily slipped 0d at will or additional ones placed thereon yield- 1ng means, as a spring, being provided for holding the chips on the rod against accidental displacement.

The invention also consists of a bar or counter holder of the character before mentioned, provided with a scale or indicator having an indicator inscribed in accordance with the thickness of the counters, so that the number of counters on the holder can be at once indicated upon a most casual inspection.

Reference is to be had to the annexed drawing's forming a part of this specification, like letters of reference indicating like parts in all the views.

Of the drawingsFigure 1 is a side viewof one form of my invention showing a number of buttons or chips in place on the bar or rod. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view drawn to an enlarged scale of the right-hand end, as viewed in Fig. 1, showing a button or chip about to be applied to the bar or holder. The section of this view is drawn in the plane of the figures 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, showing a button or chip as having been applied to the holder and just passed over the yielding retaining device. Figs. 5 and 6 represent slight modifications of the invention.

In the drawings-o designates a rod or bar which may be of considerable length and size, and which is adapted to receive thereon a number of chips or buttons, 1), each of which has a hole formed through its center of a size suiiiciently large to permit it to be slipped upon the said rod or bar.

0, (Fig. l) designates a head or stop which may be formed on one end of the said rod to prevent the chips or buttons from slipping off from the said end. The head, 0, may be provided with a ring or eye, d, for the reception of a ribbon or other suitable means whereby the contrivance may be tied to the buttonhole of a garment, or be otherwise attached to an article of apparel, though this feature of the invention is not essential.

The end of the bar opposite that provided with the head, 0, is equipped with a depressible spring, e, so that in slipping the buttons or chips on the bar the said spring may yield to slight force, as when the said chip is moved from the position in which it is represented in Fig. 3 to that in which it is shown in Fig. 4, thus allowing the chip to slip over the said spring upon. the bar, and yet be sufficiently strong to prevent the chips from accidentally slipping off from the bar. The said spring, 0, may he a single spring struck out from the metal composing the bar or rod, particularly when the latter is made hollow, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, or it may consist of several springs formed on the end of the rod as shown in Fig. 6, or be otherwise suitably constructed; and instead of forming a head on one end of the rod and a spring on the other, as described, both ends may be provided with a retaining spring as shown in Fig. 5.

In the preferred construction, as pictured in Fig. 1, I inscribe a scale, f, on the rod, as shown, running from 0 in opposite directions to a given number, say, for example merely, to 25, and graduate said scale to the-thickness of the chips, so that should twenty-five chips be placed upon the bar, as the number each player starts with, the said number of chips will fill the rod from the head, 0, to 0 marked IOO at the center of the scale. In this way should the player gain or lose the extent of gain or loss can be ascertained at a glance, and without thenecessity of counting the number of chips in the said players possession.

In my invention it is contemplated, however, to employ the improvement, if it may be desired, Without a scale inscribed on the rod, as is represented in Fig. 5.

By this device a very convenient means is provided for holding the chips in place, and readily ascertaining how the player stands in the game.

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

A chip-holder and game tally comprising in its construction a bar or rod provided, constructed and arranged for holding chips slipped thereon, one of its ends having yielding means, as a spring, to permit the chips to be slipped on and off the said rod, and a scale inscribed on the said bar, running from 0 in both directions, to a certain number, the said scale being drawn in accordance with the thickness of the chips.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 19th day of March, A. D. 1894:.

EDWARD D. ROCKWELL.

Witnesses:

M. BENJAMIN HOLDEN, ROGER S. NEWELL.

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