US721072A - Table game of cricket. - Google Patents

Description

, PATENTED FEB. 17, 1903. J 0. E. NICHOLAS. TABLE GAME OF CRICKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1902.

10 IODEL.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CYRIL ERNEST NICHOLAS, OF LAUNOESTON, TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA.

TABLE GAME OF CRICKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 721,072, dated February 1'7, 1903.

I Application filed May 20,1902. Serial No. 108,232. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRIL ERNEST NICHO- LAS, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Invermay, corner of Queen and Landale streets, Launceston, in the county of Cornwall, State of Tasmania, Commonwealth of Australia, but temporarily residing at 91 Edgevale road, Kew, in the State of Victoria, Commonwealth aforesaid,

have invented a certain new and Improved Table Game of Cricket, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a household amusement in which balls, a pitch cloth or board, a bat, wickets, a hurdle, a ball-pocket, ball-catchers, and sticks are used. These are so combined and arranged that a healthy and pleasant pastime is afforded to both young and old.

Referring to the drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the pitch cloth or board, the hurdle, the wickets, and the ballpocket. Fig. 2 represents, on an enlarged scale, a perspective view of a modification in which the hoop supporting the ball-pocket is capable of being inclined. The net is unillustrated. Fig. 3 represents a plan of a portion of Fig. 2 on a larger scale. I

Similar letters of reference indicate similar or corresponding parts where they occur in the several views.

On reference to the drawings it will be seen that A is a pitch cloth or board. If it is made of cloth, the ends of the said cloth are closed over a strip of. metal B, (preferably lead.) The said metal is thereby secured to the said ends and retains them on the table. At the batsmens end of this cloth are situated the wickets. These consist of three wicket-sticks O, resting upon the grooves, in the tops of which is the bail D. This bail is preferably made of one piece of wood and is undivided in its middle. At their bottoms these sticks are secured to a base-plate E, the inside edge of which is chamfered, as at F, so that should the ball strike the base-plate it immediately rises and hits the wicket-sticks. Situated almost equidistant between the ends of the pitch-cloth are the hurdle-sticks G. The bottoms of these are secured in the base-plate H, which base-plate, as also the base-plate beman is not out.

neath the wicket-sticks, rests upon the cloth.

Extending across and secured to the top of the hurdle-sticks is a wire, wood, or other cross-piece J.

At the bowlers end of the pitch-cloth is situated the ball-pocket. This consists of a net K, suspended to a hoop L. This hoop L has at its top outer edge a bead. There are also arranged in a vertical plane around its circumference four sockets or tubes M. These are closed at their tops and into them are entered the tops of the pillars N. These fit loosely in the sockets. At the bottom of each pillar is a base-plate N.

In Figs. 2 and 3 is seen a modification whereby the hoop L supporting the net on the ballpocket can be inclined at any angle. The said hoop is pivoted on its two opposite sides to supports 0. These supports 0 have beneath them the base-plates O, and at the top of the said supports is a hole. There is also through each side of the hoop a similar hole to register with the holes at the top of the supports. Through each hole, from the inside, a bolt Z is placed, on the outside of which is a wing or finger nut P for locking the said hoop.

The game is played as follows: The pitch-, cloth is laid upon a table, and the bowler, standing in a line with and at the back of the ball-pocket, with an under-arm ball throws a very light ball over the ball-pocket and over the hurdle, so that it bounces just in front of the crease. The batsman strikes it before it touches his sticks, and his object is to deflect it into the ball-pocket above the pitch-cloth. If, however, he fails to do this, the ball-catchers, which are not allowed to be operated over the pitch-cloth, catch the ball, and if caught the batsman is ruled out. If the ball enters the ball-pocket above the pitch-cloth, a run is counted the batsman. The fielders, standing on each side of the table, try to catch the ball in their catchers or field-nets. The bowler must so deliver the ball that it bounces before it hits the wicket. If the ball, does not bounce before it strikes the wicket, the bats- The batsman must allow the ball to bounce before he hits it. ball from the bowler strike the hurdle, it is counted as no ball. The wicket-keeper sits in a chair behind the wickets. There is no stumping in the game.-

Should the The umpire stands,

or sits right behind the wicket-keepers head,

- and in this position can see all the movements of the players. Any number of persons can play, from two upward. When there are only two playing, the batsman can only be put out by the bowler.

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

1. In an improved table game of cricket, the combination with a suitable support, of a pivotally-mounted hoop, and means for locking said hoop, a net carried thereby in various positions, substantially as described.

2. In an improved table game of cricket, the combination with a suitable supporting-surface, of a net supported above the same, a wicket spaced from said net, and a hurdle between said net and wicket, substantially as described.

3. In an improved table game of cricket, the

combination with a suitable supporting-surface, of a hoop spaced above said surface, a not carried by said hoop, posts supporting said hoop, and means permitting adjustment of said hoop to various angles and retaining the same at such adjustments, substantially as described.

4. In a table game of cricket, the combination of a hoop, a net carried by said hoop, a plurality of posts supporting said hoop, and a separate horizontal base-plate for each of said posts for retaining the same in a vertical position, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

CYRIL ERNEST NICHOLAS.

Witnesses:

EDWIN PHILLIPS, CECIL M. PLASTRIER.

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