FR2692160A1 - French billiard table transformable for other games - has holes at corners and in sides of plate and frames and holes closed by removable continuous strip of cushions and replaceable by separate strips - Google Patents

Abstract

The billiard table has a rectangular slate plate (2) which is covered by a mat and surrounded by a rectangular frame (3). The plate has holes (6), curved in an arc, at each corner and in centre of its long sides and the frame has complementary holes (7). A continuous strip of cushions (4) is fixed inside the frame and covers the holes. The strip of cushions is removable and can be replaced by separate strips which give access to the holes. Removable pockets are fixed to the holes, to recover the balls. USE/ADVANTAGE - French billiard table transformable into table for other games using pockets.

Description

 The present invention relates to a multi-purpose billiard table.

The known billiards are mainly of three kinds the so-called French billiards (carambola) with rectangle table and continuous bands on the frame, delimiting the playing area and the so-called American and English billiards whose table has holes with pockets at the corners and in the middle of each length the bands being discontinuous.

 It is known to transform American billiards into French billiards.

This transformation is carried out by placing a plug in each orifice and completing the bands interrupted at the level of the orifices by sections of band.

This transformation cannot give satisfaction at the level of the game insofar as the strip sections do not have the same elastic return capacity as the continuous strip itself.

 In addition, when these strip sections are put in place, their alignment with the strip may be imperfect and their angle with the belt may be different from that of the strip between the blocked orifices.

This results in an angularly imperfect return of the balls which touch said sections, themselves being subject to displacement under the impact of the balls.

It is impossible from such transformations to obtain a French billiard game table allowing a rigorous game
Such billiards are essentially American type billiards reserved for fans of this type of game and incidentally French type billiards.

 The objective of the invention is to reverse this design by making it possible to make a billiard table which is truly versatile and which gives complete satisfaction to the player both as a French billiard table as an American billiard table or an English billiard table.

 Another object of the invention is to provide a versatile billiard which can be of the type with holes adapted to the type of American, English or snooker game in which the diameters of the balls and the heights of the strips are different from each other and different from those French billiards (star fruit).

 To this end, the multi-purpose billiard table according to the invention consists of a billiard table of the French type (star fruit) whose table is a slate plate or similar material, the said plate being surrounded by a rectangular frame with continuous return bands. over the entire inner periphery of the frame, the said strips delimiting the play area; according to the invention, the plate is provided at each of its angles and in the middle of each of its lengths, outside the play area of recesses in an arc of a curve and the frame is provided at each of its angles and at the middle of each of its lengths of recesses in an arc of a curve complementary to those of the plate and the continuous strips which meet at a bevel at the angles form a barrier to the said recesses with respect to the playing area and are removably mounted on the framework.

 The continuous bands can be replaced by discontinuous bands freeing access to the recesses from the play area and in the said recesses are mounted removable pockets for collecting balls or balls.

 These arrangements of the invention make it possible to easily transform French billiards into billiards with holes of the American or English type (snooker or 8 Pool) depending on the type of discontinuous strips which are adapted to them.

 According to another arrangement of the invention, the recesses of the frame each receive a removable plug without strip which can be replaced by a pocket.

 Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on reading the following description of embodiments given by way of nonlimiting examples and illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which - Figure 1 is a view of the plate forming the table, - Figure 2 is a view of the frame coming around the plate, the latter being shown - Figure 3 is a view of the base supporting the table, - Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a mode of fixing the frame on the plate and bands on the frame, - Figure 5 is a partial view of an angle with pocket, - Figure 6 is a view of an angle with continuous strips and plug.

 As shown in the accompanying drawings, the multi-purpose billiard table according to the invention consists of a base 1 which receives a table 2.

The table 2 consists of a slate plate 2 or any other equivalent material around which is fixed a frame 3 inside which are arranged bands generically designated by 4.

 As shown in Figure 1, the plate 1 which can be in one piece or in several pieces, includes a play area bounded by the dotted line 5 which marks the grip of the bands when they are placed on the frame 3.

 The plate 1 is provided at each of its angles and in the middle of each of its lengths of recesses in an arc of a curve 6 which are formed set back from the playing area in the grip of the bands as delimited by the line 5 .

 The frame 3 is provided at each of its angles and in the middle of each of its recess lengths 7 in arc of curve complementary to those 6 of the plate 2, so that when the frame is affixed to the plate, are obtained outside the playing area delimited by the lines 5 of the substantially circular orifices.

 According to the invention, the strips 4 affixed inside the frame are continuous strips which meet at a bevel at each of the corners of the frame.

These bands which delimit the play area obstruct the recesses 6/7 of the plate and of the frame and define a play area without pockets for a carom game of the French billiard type.

 The strips 4 are mounted so as to be removable on the frame.

Advantageously, the orifices 7 of the frame between the latter and the strip can, for aesthetic reasons, be closed by a plug 8 made of wood or any other material.

This plug has no effect on the elastic capacity of the strip which is itself fixed to a blade of wood 9 fixed to the frame.

 In the case where the billiards according to the invention must be transformed into billiards with a hole for the game of the so-called American or English type or snooker, the continuous strips 4 are removed from the frame and are replaced by discontinuous strips (FIG. 2) do not stand in the way of recesses 6-7.

 In this case, the types of bands and in particular the heights of bands are chosen according to the type of game (star fruit balls have 61.50 mm in diameter, American have 57 mm in diameter, English have 52 mm in diameter.

In this case, the plugs are removed from the recesses 6-7 and replaced by pockets 10.

 Advantageously, on the base opposite the recesses and pockets are provided receptacles 11 hidden by the belt 12 under the frame.

 In FIG. 4, a sectional view is shown of a method of assembling the frame 3, the strip 4 and the plate 2.

According to this embodiment, the plate 2 is provided between the dotted line 5 and its edge with a succession of holes through which the frame 4 is fixed by screws cooperating in screwing with metal inserts of the frame.

 The frame 3 is provided on its periphery with a succession of transverse holes 13 through which a bolt 14 passes, each of the bolts cooperating in screwing with inserts of the wooden blade 9 on which the strip is fixed.

The change of bands is due to this particularly rapid embodiment.

 Advantageously, on the outer periphery of the frame is mounted a molding 15 fixed by a clip.

 it goes without saying that any other system for fixing the removable bands 4 can be adapted.

Claims (3)

 1. French billiards whose table consists of a rectangular slate plate covered with a carpet, the said plate being surrounded by a rectangular frame with return bands delimiting the playing area, the said bands being continuous on the entire periphery of the frame and the playing area, characterized in that the plate (2) is provided at each of its angles and in the middle of each of its arc-of-curve recess lengths (6), that the frame is provided at each of its angles and in the middle of each of its arc-of-curve recess lengths (7) complementary to those of the plate and that the continuous strips (4) which meet at a bevel angles are a barrier to said recesses relative to the playing area and are removably mounted on the frame.  2. French billiard table according to claim 1 characterized in that the continuous strips (4) can be replaced by discontinuous strips freeing access to the recesses (6-7) from the playing area and that in the said recesses are mounted removable pockets (10) for collecting balls.  3. French billiards according to claim 1 characterized in that the recesses of the frame each receive a removable plug (8) to allow the establishment of a pocket.