US654249A - Duplicate-whist apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

No. 654,249. Patented July 24, I900. M. C. HAMMOND.

DUPLICATE WHIST APPARATUS.

(Applicaflcd filed Mar. 1, 1900.;

(No Model.)

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MARCUS C. HAMMOND, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

DUPLICATE=WHIST APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,249, dated July 24, 1900.

Application filed March 1, 1900. Serial No. 7,015. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARCUS C. HAMMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Savannah, in the county of Ohatham and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Duplicate-\Vhist Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to devices to retain sets and subsets of cards in a compact manner and peculiarly arranged for playing duplicate whist; and one object of my invention is to provide card-holding devices which will permitthe cards of each subset to be easily introduced therein or removed therefrom, although a constant but light pressure is bearing upon the cards while in the holders, so that new cards will not readily escape therefrom and old cards which become thicker with use will be readily introduced into the holders.

Another object is to facilitate speed in replacing the cards for duplicate play by permitting each player to pack his cards in his holder, and thereby help the dealer.

Another object of the apparatus in duplicate whist is to prevent the players from knowing on the duplicate whether the hand he is holding was held on the original by the player to his right or the player to his left unless he surreptitiously looks at the reverse side of his small case.

Another object is to provide cardholders of light sheet metal, as aluminium, of the size of playing-cards which can be easily placed in a coat-pocket without requiring additional wrapper or fastening.

I attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cardholder containing four subset-holders constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the subset-holders. Fig. 3 is aplan view of the blank of one of the subset holders. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of one of said holders. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of one of said holders. Fig. 6 is a modification of the cardholder shown in Fig. 1, in that its opening is on one of its narrow sides. Fig. 7 is a modification of the card-holder shown in Fig. 2,

in that its opening is on one of its narrow sides.

The apparatus for one set consists of four small holders or cases B, each of a size to hold one-fourth of a pack of playing-cards. Said cases are preferably made of sheet-metal, as aluminium on account of its light Weight and brightness; but other sheet metal or other suitable material somewhat springy may be used for the same purpose. Said cases B are rectangular and have a top I), provided with bent end flaps c, which are substantially rectangular and of a depth sufficient to hold the desired number ofcards between them, a back cl, which has no flaps, and the bottom 6 of the case. Said bottom is also provided with end fiapsf, which are tapering, being at the inner end wider than at the outer end to perrnit the free edges of the top b and of the bottom 6 to approach each other, the metal being suitably bent and sprung at the back cl for that purpose. The outer case A, capable of containing a set of four subsets, is constructed similarly to the small cases B, but the back and flaps are wider. To permit the cards to be easily withdrawn from their case, a portion of the top and bottom of each case is cut away, as shown atg. To facilitate the introduction of the cards in the case, the bottom 6 is made about a quarter of an inch longer than the top, so that by placing the sides of the cards upon the extension of said bottom and pressing downward the aperture is opened enough to permit the cards to slide into the case.

Four of the small cases, each holding thirteen cards, are inclosed in the large case A. The five cases-one large and four small comprise a set. On top of each of the small cases is stamped, printed, stenciled, or painted the word Duplicate but said word on the case of the leader is preferably within a diamond-shaped inclosure with the word Lead. On the bottom of each the word Original is printed and either one of the words North, South, East, West, or the letters N, S, E, W, and in use in playing the cases will be distributed to the players in accordance with these words or letters and the positions the players occupy in respect to the points of the compass. The letters on three of the cases are plain, but on the fourth case they are inclosed within a figure, (as a star or diamond,) indicating that the player holding this case shall lead. The numeral (in the star or diamond) on top of the large case indicates the number of the hand for purpose of scoring and comparing theplay on the original and duplicate.

The devices for holding the cards present many advantages over others in their fornr and in the ways they are used in the play. The cases, being of metal, are very durable. They fully cover the cards when the small cases containing them are inserted within the large case to store them, the notched edge g being preferably placed in the bottom of the large case, the springy cover preventing them from slipping out.

A great defect in all the methods or devices now in use in duplicate whist is that the leads on the original play rotate in regular order in the same direction, and in nearly all cases they rotate in one direction on the duplicate play. Some methods have endeavored to overcome this defect on the duplicate play by having some of the hands turn to the right and others to the left, but little advantage has been obtained, because on the original the lead on any particular deal is always by the same person and also on the duplicate. For instance, take deal No. 1, (with former devices.) If the lead is north on the original and east on the duplicate, it will always remain so no matter how often played, and memory players soon learn in which direction certain numbers turn.

With my devices, while the hands are played in consecutive order on the original, so as not to complicate the scoring, the leads do not rotate in consecutive order on the original or duplicate play, and by simply shifting the cases the order can be entirely changed each time they are played with. This is accomplished by having the number indicating the deal on the large case only and the small cases arranged so that on the duplicate half the hands will turn to the right and half to the left, and even if the cards were not shuffled and dealt anew it would be extremely difficult for any player to remember any of them well enough to be able to take advantage of what he remembered; but if in addition the trump was changed there could be no possi ble need to deal the cards more frequently than every third or fourth game, and they might be used indefinitely by occasionally shifting the cards in two of the small cases in each set.

In Figs. 6 and 7 the same kind of springy card-holding devices are shown; but their opening is on one of the narrow ends. The large holder containing four subset-holders is shown at A and the subset holders at 13.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim- 1. A duplicate-whist apparatus consisting of four independent card-holders, each holder consisting of sheet material bent toward itself about halfway of its length to normally bring its ends toward each other, said ends having crescent notches therein, and the side edges of each holder bent to overlap each other, substantially as described.

2. A duplicate-whist apparatus consisting of four independent card-holders, each holder adapted to receive and clasp a fourth of a pack of cards and consisting of sheet metal bent and sprung toward itself about half-way of its length to normally bring its ends toward each other and the side edges of each holder bent to overlap each other, in combination with a holder adapted to receive the four independent card-holders and constructed similarly to, but wider than the four independent card-holders, substantially as described.

3. A duplicate-whist apparatus consisting of four independent card-holders, each holder having springy bent sides united at their inner ends and their outer ends adapted to approach each other, with overlapping sides, said holders having on one face the word Original and on the opposite face the word Duplicate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARCUS C. HAMMOND.

Witnesses:

MARY E. W. PALMER, EDW. A. EVE.

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