Cricket umpire lever counter

The Cricket umpire lever counter is a device used by cricket umpires to count the number of balls in an over.
What is claimed to be the prototype, supposedly used in the 1930s by an umpire called Evans, has recently surfaced:
Colin Pearson vaguely recalls seeing some in 1960s. CAN ANYONE FILL THIS HISTORY IN PLEASE??? Lords Museum have suggested John Wisden & Co but they ceased retailing many years ago.
Dave Courtney advises that 3D-Cricket of Cheltenham were approached, possibly in 1972 with a different prototype and they arranged with a local foundry to produce some (with no company branding) which they sold at the rate, he guesses, of 100 per annum, until that foundry went out of business. Subsequently he found a local model train enthusiast, Bob ??, who made them by hand for several years and these were engraved with 3D company name and sold under "David Constant" brand, possibly at £10 each. Production ceased in 1990's.
Various pictures can bee seen at www.acumenbooks.co.uk/lever/lever.htm although the description is out of date.
In mid 2000's, Richard Jones, a Leeds Dental Technician, arranged for a local company to make some small batches periodically which are retailed by Acumen Books.
By late 2010 Acumen Books had obtained some EU grants and technical advice from local Universities to produce a design in Nylon-66 which was substantially improved by a Chinese company and it is now undergoing field trials. Pictures at http://www.acumenbooks.co.uk/lever/SUC30005.JPG and http://www.acumenbooks.co.uk/lever/nylon-2009.jpg

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