EP0178317A1

EP0178317A1 - Transformable and dismountable billiard-tables

Info

Publication number: EP0178317A1
Application number: EP19850902056
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michel Debart
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-04-27
Filing date: 1985-04-24
Publication date: 1986-04-23
Also published as: FR2563439A1; FR2563439B3; WO1985005045A1

Abstract

Une table de billiard (1) comporte un plateau rectangulaire (1a) recouvert d'un tapis (10). Les bandes (2) sont composées de profilés rectilignes (3) et (4) qui sont fixés au tapis de façon amovible par des rubans (8) à picots (8a et 8b) de population différente. Les bandes (2) sont facilement déplaçables pour transformer un billiard américain en billiard français. Une application est la transformation des tables de ping-pong ou d'autres plateaux de table en table de billiard.A billiard table (1) has a rectangular tray (1a) covered with a carpet (10). The strips (2) are composed of rectilinear profiles (3) and (4) which are removably fixed to the carpet by ribbons (8) with pins (8a and 8b) of different populations. The bands (2) are easily movable to transform an American billiard into a French billiard. One application is the transformation of ping-pong tables or other table tops into a pool table.

Description

Convertible and removable pool tables. The present invention relates to transformable and removable pool tables.

The technical sector of the invention is that of the construction of billiard tables.

Several kinds of billiard games are known, in particular French billiards or carom billiards and billiard games with pockets known as American billiards or English billiards. All these billiard games include balls of standard dimensions which are moved on a rectangular table covered with a carpet and framed with rubberized bands.

To date, pool tables are heavy and bulky furniture that is made specifically for a specific type of pool game. An object of the present invention is to provide transformable billiard tables which can be used alternately for playing French billiards or pocket billiards.

Another object of the present invention is to provide billiard tables composed of removable bands which can be placed on other game tables, in particular on ping-pong tables or on other table tops.

Another object of the present invention is to provide pool tables that are easily removable and easy to store in a small volume when they are unused and easy to put back into service.

In a previous application FR. 83 / 13.355, there have been described transformable and dismountable billiard tables which have strips detachably fixed along the sides of the table top.

The present invention relates to improvements in the tables described in this previous application.

The billiard tables according to the invention comprise, in a known manner, a rectangular tray covered with a carpet and surrounded by removable flexible strips.

The objectives of the invention are achieved by means of tables in which the carpet is a semi-rigid carpet and the strips are detachably fixed on the edges of said carpet.

According to a preferred embodiment, the mat is a semi-rigid polyvinyl chloride sheet having a thickness of in the range of 2 to 3 mm.

Advantageously, said strips comprise six substantially equal rectilinear sections, two sections located respectively along each of the short sides and two pairs of sections located respectively along each of the long sides, which sections are juxtaposed end to end to form a closed rectangular frame. when the table is used in French billiards and are spread to form a discontinuous rectangular frame when the table is used in pocket billiards. The invention results in new billiard tables which can be very easily transformed to play alternately French billiards or pocket billiards.

The invention makes it possible to transform other game tables into a pool table, such as ping-pong tables or rectangular trays placed on another table or on legs.

The embodiment of the bands and the removable fixing means thereof by glued tapes which have one side with spikes which become entangled and become blocked with other spikes of different population, which are located on one side. '' a tape stuck on the carpet, allow to fix at the same time said bands on the carpet and quickly transform any table top into a pool table and also carry out the internal transformation without the help of any tool and without damaging the table top. This fastening process is well known under the names of "velcro" or "dual lock." Advantageously, said spike ribbons are glued to the carpet in a position mode which makes it possible to fix said strips to form a continuous and closed rectangular frame or a discontinuous rectangular frame with open spaces between each strip.

Advantageously, the mat two to three millimeters thick is semi-rigid, for example of polyvinyl chloride material. Said mat is flexible enough to absorb the surface irregularities of the table top and to be rolled so easy to store. Said mat is rigid enough so that its upper face, serving as a rolling layer for billiard balls, has no folds or undulations and has friction and rolling characteristics identical to mats used for the game of billiards.

Advantageously, the bands fixed on the carpet keep it pressed on the table top and the arrangement of said bands in a rectangular frame, improves the rigidity of the carpet.

The invention makes it possible to make pool tables from a tray equipped with removable feet which can be fitted with jacks to adjust the horizontality of the tray, which makes it possible to obtain a pool table which meets the requirements of this game. , while being removable, so easy to store, with a small footprint when not in use.

The billiard tables according to the invention are particularly well suited to the equipment of games rooms located in seasonal tourist resorts or to the equipment of seasonal rooms or to the equipment of rooms comprising tables which can be used alternately for play different games such as table tennis and billiards or for other purposes.

The following description refers to the appended drawings which represent, without any limiting character, an exemplary embodiment of a billiard table according to the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a billiard table top according to the invention, used as pocket billiards.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a corner of a pool table according to the invention, used as a French pool table.

Figure 3 is a cross section along III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a corner of the table. Figure 1 shows a rectangular table top la, which can be placed on another table, or on four legs not shown.

The tray 1a is covered with a mat 10 which is made of a semi-rigid synthetic material, for example semi-rigid polyvinyl chloride.

The tray 1a is surrounded by removable strips 2 which can occupy different positions depending on whether the table is used in pocket billiards or in French billiards.

The tray la comprises four cutouts 10b which have a diameter slightly greater than that of the balls and which are arranged in the four corners of the table and two cutouts 10c placed in the middle of the long sides. These circular cutouts are used when playing pocket billiards. Figure 1 shows a board mounted to play billiards with pockets. We see in this figure that the tray is equipped with bands which are formed of six separate sections.

The strips comprise two rectilinear sections 4 which are each located along a small side of the table and which are shorter than this side. The strip located along each long side has two rectilinear sections 3 which frame the cutout 10c located in the middle of the long side.

When the table is used to play billiards with pockets, the strip sections 3, 4 are placed between the cutouts 10b and 10c, as shown in Figure 1 and we see on it that it exists between the ends two neighboring sections a free space whose width is greater than the diameter of the balls, so that they can engage in this space to reach the cut 10b. or 10c, located between the ends of the strips.

A table according to the invention can be easily transformed into a French pool table. To do this, simply move the strip sections towards the inside of the table until the ends of these sections are joined as shown in FIG. 2. In this case, the holes 10b and 10c are placed at the outside the boards therefore outside the playing area.

FIG. 3 represents, on a larger scale, a cross section of a section of strip along line III-III of FIG. 1. It can be seen in this section that each section of strip is composed of a rigid section 2a, by example a tubular profile, of square section in aluminum alloy. Each strip section comprises, in addition, a flexible strip 9, for example a butadiene strip, of square or rectangular section, which is glued against the internal face of the profile 2a and along the upper edge thereof. The height of the section 2a and the position of the flexible strip 9 are such that the balls strike against the lower edge 9a of the strip 9, which constitutes the return band of the balls le.

For example, the sections 2a are square sections having a side substantially equal to the diameter of the balls 1c and the strips 9 have a square section, the side of which is substantially equal to the radius of the balls 1c.

To be able to easily transform a table according to the invention in order to be able to use it alternately in pocket billiards or in French billiards the strips 3, 4 are fixed, in a removable manner directly on the semi-rigid mat 10 which allows such fixing thanks to its semi-rigidity, but which can also roll up, which allows it to be stored without taking up a lot of space when the table is dismantled.

FIG. 3 represents a preferred embodiment of a means for fixing the strips 3, 4 to the mat 10.

Brackets 7 are fixed by any means against the external vertical face of the sections 2a, the horizontal wing of these brackets extending outward in the same plane as the underside of the sections 2a.

Ribbons 8a of a velvet type fastening with hooks and loops are glued under the horizontal wing of the brackets 7 and these ribbons 8a extend under the underside of the profiles 2a as seen in FIG. 3.

On the upper face of the carpet 10 are glued ribbons 8b of velvet fabric with loops and hooks which cooperate with the ribbons 8a which come into contact with these to maintain the strips 3 and 4 in the position according to FIG. 1 where billiards is used in pocket billiards.

In addition, on the carpet 10 are glued, other fixing tapes 8c which are offset inwardly relative to the tapes 8b. When the table is used as a French billiard table, the fixing ribbons 8a cooperate with the ribbons 8c to fix the strips 3 and 4 to the carpet. When the table is used in pocket billiards, the ribbons 8c are placed inside the frame delimited by the profiles 2a, but they are however located outside the frame in which the balls roll, so that they do not interfere with their trajectories. Figure 4 is a perspective view on a larger scale of a table angle according to the invention. An angle of the raised carpet 10 is shown in this view. We see in this view a hole 10b which is constituted solely by a circular cutout of the mat 10. As the mat 10 has a thickness of the order of 2 to 3 mm, this thickness is sufficient to prevent the balls which engage in a hole 10b or 10c cannot go back.

In order to avoid that the balls which arrive in the pockets 10b or 10c with a certain speed cannot roll on the ground, the ends of the strip sections 3 and 4 situated on either side of each pocket 10b or 10c are connected together by flexible strips 11 shown in FIG. 1 when the table is used as a billiard table with pockets. FIG. 4 shows two sections of strip 3 and 4 in the position they occupy when the table is used as a billiard table and when the fixing tapes 8b placed under the brackets 7 are fixed to the tapes 8c glued to the carpet. We see in the same figure one of the fixing tapes 8b which are not used in this case.

FIG. 4 represents a preferred embodiment in which the short sides of the table do not have fixing tapes 8c for fixing the small sections 4 to the carpet. The strip sections 4 are fixed to the sections 3 by brackets 12 which connect the neighboring ends of the two sections 3 and 4 together. Similarly, to increase the rigidity of the frame when the table is used in French billiards, the juxtaposed ends of the two strip sections 3 are connected together by a flat iron 13.

Figures 1 to 14 show an embodiment in which the mat 10 is a semi-rigid mat having an upper face which has friction and rolling characteristics identical to those of the cloth mats used in traditional billiards.

Alternatively, one can place on the semi-rigid carpet 10, a traditional fabric carpet.

The table top shown in Figure l can be placed on four legs equipped at their lower end with screw jacks which allow to adjust the horizontality of the table top.

The table legs can be removable legs, which are easy to disassemble.

It can be seen that the invention makes it possible to easily transform a table, for example a ping-pong table into a pocket pool table or a French pool table. The components of a table according to the invention can be easily disassembled and stored. The billiard tables according to the invention are particularly suitable for equipping games or sports rooms having a seasonal or periodic activity.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Dismountable pool table transformable into pocket billiards or French billiards, of the type carrying a rectangular tray covered with a mat (10) and surrounded by removable flexible bands, characterized in that said mat is a semi-mat rigid and said strips are removably attached to the edges of said mat.

2. Billiard table according to claim 1, characterized in that said mat is a sheet of semi-rigid polyvinyl chloride having a thickness of the order of 2 to 3 mm.

3. Billiard table according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said strips comprise six substantially equal rectilinear sections, two sections (4) located respectively along each of the short sides and two pairs of sections (3 ) located respectively along each of the long sides, which sections are juxtaposed end to end to form a closed rectangular frame when the table is used in French billiards and are separated to form a discontinuous rectangular frame when the table is used in billiards. pockets.

4. Billiard table according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said strips comprise a rigid section (2a) and a flexible strip (9a) which is glued against the internal face of said section and along the edge superior of it.

5. Billiard table according to claim 4, characterized in that said profiles comprise ribbons (8a) of a fixing with loops and hooks which are glued under the underside of said profiles and complementary fixing ribbons are fixed to said carpet in two positions (8b, 8c) which correspond respectively to the making of a discontinuous frame and to the making of a continuous frame.

6. Billiard table according to claim 5, characterized in that said strip sections (3, 4) include brackets (7) whose vertical wing is fixed against the external face of said profiles and whose horizontal wing is in the extension of the underside of said sections and fixing tapes (8a) are glued under said horizontal wing.

7. Billiard table according to any one of the claim

1 to 6, characterized in that when said strips form a continuous frame, the juxtaposed ends of said strip sections (3, 4) are interconnected by brackets (12) and the juxtaposed ends of said strip sections (3) located along the long sides, are interconnected by flat bars (13).

8. Billiard table according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said mat (10) has circular cutouts (10b) located in the four corners and circular cutouts (10c) located in the middle of the two sides longitudinal.

9. Billiard table according to claim 8, characterized in that, when the table is used as a pocket billiard table, said strip sections (3, 4) are placed between said cutouts

(10b, 10c) with free spaces between the neighboring ends of said sections, the width of which is slightly greater than the diameter of said cutouts and the ends of the two sections located on either side of one of said cutouts are connected together by a flexible strip (11).