FR2682883A1 - Multi-cushion billiard table - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for adapting a billiard table into an American billiard table or into a French billiard table, and to the corresponding billiard table. An underframe (base) (10), consisting of longitudinal members (11) and of crosspieces, links the legs (13) supporting a table top (20) with corner and side recesses, the table top being delimited by a frame (30) with cushions including removable corner and side parts, for adapting to a French billiard table or an American billiard table, the front of the removable parts being, as appropriate, equipped with a cushion portion or with a ball removal chute. Application: table game.

Description

The invention relates to a multi-band billiard table, usable, at will, in billiards with holes, of American type, or in carom billiards, of French type, and its production method.

Hole billiards and carom billiards were, for a very long time, two completely independent families of products, taking into account, on the one hand, important differences which existed between the rules of games and the mode of construction of the tables which this resulted, and on the other hand, from the fairly clear separation of the corresponding markets which then existed; this although these two families of billiards have, in common, the use of rubber bands, of equivalent shape and section, covered with fabrics.

In recent decades, American billiards has developed in
Europe, and especially in France, and the followers of this game wish to be able to use, without distinction, the two types of billiards; which obliges the rooms to put, at the disposal of the customers, the corresponding tables. As for individuals, they regret being forced to choose, or to acquire two different tables, given the investment that this represents and the space that this requires.

Also, some manufacturers have been offering, for a few tempos, often quite rudimentary systems, intended to allow the momentary transformation of an American billiard into French billiards, and vice versa.

In the first case, these are, for the adaptation to French billiards already in service, plastic bases, having an inclined ramp converging towards a hollow part intended to retain a ball, which marry, for four of between them, the shape of the corners of the billiards and, for two of them, the shape of the side bands. We understand that these devices only allow a simulated American pool game, given the elevation of the holes and the slope of the ramp that serves them. To overcome these drawbacks, some manufacturers have imagined to equip, of construction, the table of a French type billiard hole serving a ball recovery system, located under the tray thereof, but favoring French billiards over American billiards, since all the strips are continuous and the holes are arranged in front of the strips, so that they can be easily closed by means of removable buffers, when using the French pool table. This system, much more satisfactory than that mentioned above, regarding the use in American billiards, however does not allow a strict application of the corresponding rule of play, given the particular position of the holes compared ort to the bands, but, on the other hand, it risks disturbing a game of French billiards, when the pads are not fully inserted at the level of the plate, or when they come out under the effect of the shocks which occur in their immediate vicinity .

In the second case, that is to say the one relating to the transformation of an American billiard into French billiards, the problem being simpler, the quality of American billiards was generally saved, but the systems used for the transformation into French billiards often left something to be desired, except when they consisted in swapping the bands so that, in the French billiards version, the holes in the game of American billiards are almost completely overhung by the said bands. However, it is difficult, by this means, to obtain a perfect embedding of the strip holder battens within the frame of the table, also, it results therefrom some parasitic reactions of the strips, likely to disturb a part and to distort the results thereof.Also, to remedy this situation, has it been imagined the solution described in French patent application No. 2,612,795, which consists of mounting, on the front of the holes, parts of straight or angled strip, depending on the position of the hole in question; the device then comprising six removable elements, intended to fill, temporarily, the spaces left free between the six strips of the pool table, to reconstitute the four strips of the French billiards. These six elements, constituting the whole device, are held in place and supported, each by a horizontal metal bar, straight or square, fixed by several screws on the top of each element. ent and protruding by several centimeters at each end thereof, to allow the fastening at the ends of the fixed bands, by means of two knurled button screws, distributed on each side, intended to be screwed into a threaded socket, inserted in the fixed bands, plumb with the holes of passage of the rod of the screws with knurled fixing buttons. However, this device is not entirely satisfactory in its French billiards version, because the rigidity of the parts, thus reconstituted, leaves something to be desired and remains likely to disturb a party for questions of anarchic reactions, during the shocks communicated to it by the balls; which obliges the players to take it into account and to avoid seeking an effect in these zones, and limits, abnormally, the field of the possibilities of play during the game. In addition, the fixing bars and, moreover, the knurled fixing button screws, are visible and risk, therefore, to hang the players clothes and interfere with the orientation of the cues, in party course; not to mention their unsightly appearance.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks.

This invention, as it is characterized, solves the problem of creating a pool table, adaptable in construction, as the case may be, in American billiards or in French billiards, offering any guarantee of rigidity and of conformity to the specifications of the two types. billiards and allowing the application of the corresponding game rules, without any discomfort or constraint, while respecting the usual aesthetics of these two families of billiards.

The method, allowing, at will, the adaptation of a billiard table in billiards with holes, of American type, or in carom billiards, of French type, according to the invention, is characterized, mainly, by the realization of next steps - provide the billiard table with holes in the exact places, cor
corresponding to the construction rules for American billiards, - notch, over a width corresponding substantially to the diameter
meter of each hole, the part of the plate located between the holes and the
edge of the plate concerned, perpendicular to it for the
holes located on the sides, and according to the angle bisector for the
holes located in the corners, - delimit the plate by a frame provided with flexible bands, at di
mensions provided for by the construction rules for billiards
and American, - eliminate the frame parts located directly above the holes and their
notches, provided for the American pool game, - replace, as the case may be, the missing frame parts with
removable parts, of the same width and of the same section, reproduced
sant, inwards, the missing bands, for the adaptation in
French billiards, or the guide trough, for the adaptation in
pool.

The billiard table, produced by applying the method according to the invention set out above, is mainly characterized in that the removable parts, intended for the adaptation of the French billiard table, are fixed on that -this by embedding on the side members or / and the crosspieces of the table and by blocking by means of a horizontally pivoting latch, the ends of which come to engage under the ends of the fixed frame parts, situated on either side 'other, and in that the removable parts, intended for the adaptation of the pool table, are fixed on the table by embedding on the rails and / and the cross members thereof and by broaching in the said rails or / and sleepers.

The movement of the pivoting latch, serving for locking in position the removable adaptation parts in French billiards, is delimited by two stops, determining, one, the position of complete erasure of the latch under the corresponding removable part, for the 'engagement thereof, and the other, the engagement position under the ends of the neighboring fixed frame parts, for locking.

The length (L) of the pawl and its angle of travel alpha are determined so as to allow it to pass through the notch of the corresponding plate, when said pawl is in the erasing position.

The broaching, ensuring the locking in position of the removable adaptation parts in American billiards, consists of at least one rod, one end of which is screwed vertically under the said removable part, in the mortise ensuring the embedding of the latter on a spar or / and a cross member of the table base, and the other end of which is introduced into an orifice of the same section and of the same diameter, produced vertically in the spars or / and the cross members, plumb with said pins.

According to a variant, the free end of each spindle is extended downwards, below the cross-member and / or the spar, by a threaded part, with a view to a temporary joining by means of a wing nut , or something like that.

The advantages obtained, thanks to this invention, consist in that the users can carry out, very quickly and very simply, the transformation of their pool table into the version which they are interested in, without this generating limitations or disturbances in the application of the corresponding game rule, and therefore without one type of billiards predominating over the other, and this, for a low price impact compared to that of one or the other types of billiards.

Other characteristics and advantages will appear in the following description of an embodiment of a multi-strip billiard according to the invention, given by way of nonlimiting example, with regard to the appended drawings in which - the figure 1 shows a partial external perspective view of a
angles of the table, in French billiard version, - Figure 2 shows a partial external perspective view of a
angles of the table, in a pool table version, - Figure 3 shows a partial external perspective view of a
sides of the table, in French billiard version, - Figure 4 shows a partial internal perspective view of a
sides of the table, in a pool table version, - Figure 5 shows an internal perspective view of one of the corners
of the table, in French billiard version, - Figure 6 shows a bottom view of a removable part of
side, allowing adaptation in French billiards, - Figure 7 shows a bottom view of a removable part
angle, allowing adaptation in French billiards, - Figure 8 shows a bottom view of a part according to the fi
gure 6, in the installation and blocking position with respect to
fixed parts shown in phantom, - Figure 9 shows a bottom view of a part according to the fi
gure 7, in the installation and blocking position with respect to
fixed parts shown in phantom, - Figure 10 shows a bottom view of a removable part
from the side, allowing adaptation to American billiards, - Figure 11 shows a bottom view of a removable part
angle, allowing adaptation to American billiards, - Figure 12 shows a partial top view of the table at ni
calf with a side hole, - Figure 13 shows a top view of the table at a
corner hole, - Figure 14 shows a partial bottom view of the table at
level of the corner and side holes, showing the fixing of the threads
ball recovery, in billiard version, - Figure 15 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a part
removable from the side, for adaptation to pool tables, in posi
tion blocked on the table, - Figure 16 shows a partial longitudinal sectional view
a method of securing the removable part, according to the figure
15, - Figure 17 represents a view in longitudinal section of a part
removable from the side, for adaptation to French billiards, in position
locked on the table, - Figure 18 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a part
removable corner, for adaptation to pool table, posi
tion blocked on the table, - Figure 19 shows a method of securing the amo part
vible, according to figure 18, - figure 20 represents a view in longitudinal section of a part
removable corner, for adaptation to French billiards, in position
stuck on the table.

The figures represent a multi-band billiard table according to the invention, comprising, essentially, a base 10, consisting of longitudinal members i1 and crosspieces 12, connecting feet 13 supporting a plate 20, with notches of angle 21 and sides 22, delimited by a frame 30 with bands 90 with removable parts of angle 40 to SW and side 60 or 70, for adaptation in French billiards or in American billiards, with recovery of the balls in a net 80 retained under the plate 20 by frames 81 or 82 ;; the removable corner device 40, for adaptation in French billiards, comprising a mortise 41, into which is screwed a pin 42 intended to sink into an orifice 141 drilled in the angle 14 of the base, a portion of angular strip 91 and a latch 9 pivoting about an axis 43 with limited travel by stops 44 and 45; the removable corner device 50, for adaptation to American billiards, comprising a mortise 51, into which is screwed a pin 52 intended to sink into the orifice 141 drilled in the angle of the base, and a rubber chute 53 ; the removable side device 60, for adaptation to French billiards, comprising a mortise 61, into which are screwed two pins 62 and 63 intended to be fitted into orifices 111 and 112 drilled in the side members 11, a portion of strip 92 and a latch 9 pivoting about an axis 64, with clearance limited by stops 65 and 66 ;; the removable side device 70, for adaptation in American billiards, comprising a mortise 71, into which are screwed two pins 72 and 73 intended to be fitted into the orifices 111 and 112 of the longitudinal members 11, and a rubber chute 74.

By examining Figures 1 to 5 in more detail, it will be noted that, provided that the table top 20 has been previously cut laterally and angularly, in order to obtain notches 21, 22 of semi-rounded shape, placed at the places imposed by the rule of the game of American billiards, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, the billiard table can be transformed, at will, into French billiards, by mounting the removable parts 40 and 60 at the locations provided in frame 30, to reconstitute the frame and the bands 90 of the French billiards, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, by sufficiently masking the notches 21, 22 so that they do not cause any trouble in the normal course of the corresponding game, or in American billiards, by proceeding in the same way, but by mounting, this time, the removable parts 50, 70 in the locations of the frame; each of these parts being provided with a rubber chute 53, 74, of semi-circular section, the orifice for discharging the balls of the American pool table is thus reconstituted, taking into account the rounded shape of the notches 21,; the balls being, in this case, recovered in nets 80, the opening of which is retained, below the plate, by means of removable frames 81, 82, arranged around the notches 21, 22, as shown in Figure 14.

Figures 6 to 13 and 15 to 19 show that each of the removable parts 40, 60 for French billiards, or 50.70 for American billiards, is joined to the spar 11 or to the crosspiece 12 by embedding a mortise 41,51,61 , 71 on the upper edge of said beams or crosspieces, with locking relative to the plate 20 by means of a latch 9 articulated with respect to an axis 43,64, inserted in the base of the removable parts, in the case of the adaptation in French billiards, or pins 52,72,73 coming to be inserted in orifices 111, 112 and 141 drilled vertically in the beams 11 or the crosspieces 12, or in the corners 14 of junction of these, with possible positive connection by means of wing nuts, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 19.

For the purpose of simplification, the removable parts 40, 60, for French billiards, can be devoid of their pins 62, 63 and 42, given the positive blocking obtained by means of the latch 9, the ends of which come engaging under the ends 31, 32 or 33, 34 portions of the frame 30; the length (L) of said pawl and its alpha deflection having been determined and controlled by means of stops 44, 45 or 65.66, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, 17 and 20, so that, during the mounting or removal, the said latch can be erased entirely under each removable part 40, 60, without, however, coming to engage under the plate 20 of the table, pivoting beyond the front edge of the notch 21, 22 corresponding; this in a completely mechanical way, that is to say without having to take into account, visually, the position of the pawl relative to marks, which are, therefore, here, replaced by stops 44, 45 or 65, 66.

The method and the billiard table, according to the invention, are intended to allow French and American billiard games, with the same table, but nothing would prevent them from being used, too, to allow d 'other table ball games, subject to adaptation, moreover quite simple, of the front of the removable parts and their locations.

Claims (6)

Claims. 1. Method for adapting a billiard table to billiards with holes, of the American type, or from carom billiards, of the French type, characterized in that it consists in carrying out the following steps - providing the tray (20) billiard holes located at places  rules provided by the construction rules for American billiards  cains, - notch, over a width corresponding substantially to the diameter  of each hole, the part of the plate located between the holes and the edge  of the plate concerned, perpendicular to it for the holes  located on the sides, and according to the angle bisector for the holes  located in the corners, - delimit the plate (20) by a frame (30) provided with flexible bands  (in), to the dimensions provided by the construction rules of  French and American billiards, - eliminate the frame parts located directly above the notches  (21, 22) provided for the American billiard game, - replace, as the case may be, the missing frame parts with  removable parts (40, 50 or 60, 70), same width and dimension  section, reproducing, inwards, the sections of man bands  quantes (91, 92), for the adaptation in French billiards, or the gou  guide monkfish (53, 74), for adaptation to pool tables. 2. Billiard table, produced by applying the method according to claim 1, characterized in that the removable parts (40, 60), intended for the adaptation of the French billiard table, are fixed thereon by embedding on the side members (11) or / and the crossmembers (12) of the table and by blocking by means of a pivoting latch (9) horizontally, the ends of which engage under the ends (31, 32 or 33, 34 ) fixed frame parts (30) located on either side of said removable parts, and in that the removable parts (50, 70), intended for the adaptation of the pool table, are fixed on the table by embedding on the side members (11) or / and the cross members (12) of the table and by pinning in the said side members (11) or / and cross members (12). 3. Billiard table according to claim 2, characterized in that the movement of the pivoting latch (9), serving to block in position the removable parts (40, 60) of adaptation in French billiards, is delimited by two stops (44 , 45 or 65, 66), determining, one (44 or 65), the position of complete erasure of the latch (9) under the corresponding removable part, and the other (45, 66), the position d engagement under the ends (31, 32 or 33, 34) of the neighboring fixed frame parts (30). 4. Billiard table according to claim 3, characterized in that the length (L) of the latch (9) and its angle of travel alpha are determined so as to allow its passage in the corresponding notch (21, 22) of the plate (20) of the billiard table, when the said latch (9) is in the erasing position.  5. Billiard table according to claim 2, characterized in that the broaching, ensuring the locking in position of the removable parts (50, 70) of adaptation in American billiards, consists of at least one pin (52, 72, 73), one end of which is screwed vertically under the said removable part, into the mortise (51, 71) ensuring the embedding of the latter on a spar (11) or let a crosspiece (12) of the base ( 10) of the table, and the other end of which is inserted into an orifice (111, 112, 141), of the same section and of the same diameter, produced vertically in the side members (11) or / and the cross members (12) , directly above said pins (52, 72, 73). 6. Billiard table according to claim 5, characterized in that the free end of each pin (52, 72, 73) has a thread allowing temporary attachment by means of a wing nut, or other means of kind.