GB2284544A - Games table - Google Patents

Abstract

A games table comprises a table top supported by one or more longitudinal beams extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the table top. Each longitudinal beam is supported at a region between the ends thereof by a horizontal support beam. The horizontal support beam extends transversely to the longitudinal beams. The horizontal beam may be supported on either end by an adjustable mounting.

Description

GAMES TABLES The present invention relates to games tables such as are used for playing games such as billiards, snooker, pool and the like and which are of the kind comprising a flat table top supported at a suitable height above the ground.

In order to provide an accurate playing surface, the flat table top is required to be adjustably supported so that the surface is maintained horizontal despite any unevenness of the ground where the table is located.

Conventional games tables comprise adjustable legs so that the height of the table top adjacent each leg may be adjusted. However, with such arrangements it is difficult to achieve accurate horizontal and longitudinal levelling as is required, for example, for tournament matches.

Other games tables, particularly larger tables comprise horizontal cross beams supporting the table top. The height of each end of the cross beams is adjustable. However, with such tables, although the horizontal levelling of the table is facilitated, longitudinal levelling is still difficult to achieve.

The difficulty with providing a longitudinal support beam is that although the ends of the table top may be thereby adjusted, it is found that, particularly for larger tables, sagging of the table top occurs at the region between the longitudinal beam ends.

Furthermore, with conventional games tables, if there is a distortion on the base of the table it will be transferred to the table top so that accurate levelling of the table top becomes increasingly difficult as the levelling arrangement attempts to compensate for such distortion.

The present invention has been made in order to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages. An object of the present invention is to provide a convenient and effective means of supporting a table top which facilitates accurate adjustment of the table top to provide both horizontal and longitudinal levelling. In particular, the invention provides a games table having a table top, the support of which may be referenced from the top of the support frame structure or games table cabinet with no influence from the base.

According to the invention there is provided a games table comprising a table top supported by one or more longitudinal beams extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the table top, each such longitudinal beam being supported at a region between the ends of such beam by a horizontal support beam, said horizontal support beam extending transversely to such longitudinal beam.

Preferably, the horizontal beam is located adjacent or as near to the central region of the table top as is practical in order to avoid interference with pockets for balls provided at the central edges of the table or the corresponding ball racking system beneath the table top.

Preferably, the horizontal and/or longitudinal support beams are each supported at either end by support means, such support means being secured to the upper region of a support frame structure. Thus, the table top effectively hangs from the top of the support frame structure and is not influenced by the base of the frame structure so that any distortion on the base is not transferred to the table top.

The longitudinal beams and/or the horizontal beam may have a channel or U-shaped cross-section. The longitudinal beams may be fixedly or adjustably supported on either end by suitable support blocks which may, for'example, be wooden blocks. One or more horizontal beams may be provided and preferably each such horizontal beam is supported on either end by an adjustable mounting. Preferably, the adjustable mountings are such that adjustment of the ends of the horizontal beam causes the central portion of the beam to adjust to support the adjacent portion of the longitudinal beam(s). The adjustable mounting may comprise a screw or bolt means adapted to engage a plate. In use, the bolt means may pass through an aperture formed in the end of the horizontal beam to engage a plate mounted on a support block secured, for example, by means of screws or bolts to the games table support frame.Preferably, the bolt means engages the aperture, for example, wherein a threaded portion of the bolt engages a corresponding thread in the aperture, such that tightening of the bolt means causes the horizontal beam end to be drawn away from the plate. When the ends of the horizontal beam are drawn away from the plate, the central region of the horizontal beam will adjust correspondingly to support the adjacent region of the or each longitudinal beam. Fixed or adjustable table top supports may be provided adjacent the edge of the table top, for example, along the longitudinal edges of the table top and on either side of the ends of the horizontal support beam.

The present invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a games table of the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the support beams of Figure 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the horizontal beam support mounting of Figure 1; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the table top supports of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, a games table 1 comprises a rectangular table top 2 supported longitudinally by longitudinal beams 4, each end of which is mounted on wooden blocks 6 secured to the table top support frame 8. The beams 4 extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the games table 1. A horizontal beam 10 extends transversely to and beneath the longitudinal beams 4 and is supported on either end by an adjustable mounting 12 secured to respective side edges of the support frame 8.

Additional support members 14 are located on the side edges of the support frame 8. The horizontal beam 10 lies close to but clear of the central pockets 16 of the games table and may lie on either side of those pockets.

The cross-section of the beams 4, 10 is U-shaped as shown in Figure 2 and it is preferred that the beams are upturned U-sections.

The additional support members 14 are shown in Figure 4 and comprise a wedge section 18 (which may be wooden) mounted on the support frame 8 and supported by a plate member 20, which may, for example, be wood or metal, also mounted on the support frame 8.

Referring to Figure 3, the adjustable mountings 12 which support each end of the horizontal beam 10 comprise a block 22, which typically is wooden, secured, for example by screws 24, to the support frame 8. The block 22 supports a plate 26, typically metal or wood, which is adapted to receive one end of a bolt or screw 28, at least a part of which is threaded and which passes through a corresponding threaded aperture provided in the horizontal beam end 10. In use, bolt 28 is tightened so that the beam end 10 is forced away from the plate 26 causing the central region of beam 10 to arch slightly upwards thereby supporting the adjacent regions of the longitudinal beams 4.

It will be appreciated that the present invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which is described by way of example only. In particular, any suitable number of longitudinal or horizontal beams may be employed and such beams may be fixedly or adjustably secured to a support frame. Any suitable number of additional support members may be provided around the edges of the support frame and such additional support members may be fixed or adjustable as required.

Claims (10)

1. A games table comprising a table top supported by one or more longitudinal beams extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the table top, each such longitudinal beam being supported at a region between the ends of such beam by a horizontal support beam, said horizontal support beam extending transversely to such longitudinal beam.

2. A games table as claimed in claim 1 wherein the horizontal beam is located adjacent or as near to the central region of the table top as is practical in order to avoid interference with pockets for balls provided at the central edges of the table or the corresponding ball racking system beneath the table top.

3. A games table as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the horizontal and/or longitudinal support beams are each supported at either end by support means, such support means being secured to the upper region of a support frame structure.

4. A games table as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the longitudinal beams and/or the horizontal beam has a channel or U-shaped cross-section.

5. A games table as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the longitudinal beams are fixedly or adjustable supported on either end by suitable support blocks.

6. A games table as claimed in any preceding claim wherein one or more horizontal beams are provided each such horizontal beam being supported on either end by an adjustable mounting.

7. A games table as claimed in claim 6 wherein the adjustable mountings are such that adjustment of the ends of the horizontal beam causes the central portion of the beam to adjust to support the adjacent portion of the longitudinal beam.

8. A games table as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the adjustable mounting comprises a screw or bolt means adapted to engage a plate.

9. A games table as claimed in claim 8 wherein the bolt means engages and passes through an aperture formed in the end of the horizontal beam to engage a plate mounted on a support block secured to the games table support frame.

10. A games table substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.