US1973492A - Billiard table - Google Patents

Description

,Sgpt. 1-1, 1934.

R. E. LINERO BILLIARD TABLE .Filed May 19, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet l inventor Sept. 11, 1934.

- R. E. LINERO BILLIARD TABLE Filed May 19, 1933 4 she ets sheet 4 3nnehtor flabarzalizirzem attorneys.

Patented Sept. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,973,492 l VBILVLQIARD TABLE Roberto LineropNew York', N. Y., assignor or I one-half to James Polanco, NewYork, NJY.

Application my 19,1933, Serial .No. 671,914

' 7 Claims. (o1. 273 11) The device forming the subject matter of this application is a pool or billiard table, and'one object ofthe invention is to provide novel means for returning the balls automatically to one end of I the table. A further object of the invention "is so to locate the ball-ways that an'attendant will not have to crawlunder the table :to free a ball, should the ball happen to stick in-the ball-way.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for storing the balls that have been scored by the various players. Anothe'robject of the invention is to protect the pockets of thetable and to provide a place where a cigar or cigarette butt may be laid, without burning the table or the cloth thereon. Still another object of the invention is'to provide novel means for strengthening and retaining the table. v It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally andtoenhance the utility of devicesof that type to which the invention appertains. I I

With the above and other'objects in "view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.-

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 shows in top plan, a pool table constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being broken away and parts being in section; 35 Fig. 2 is a side elevation;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation; r Fig. 4 is a'section onthe line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a section on the line '55 of Fig. 1; Fig.6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig.2; Fig. 7 is an end elevation showing a modifica- Fig.8 is a section onthe line 8-8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

, Referring to the formjshown in Figs. 1 to '6, the legs 1 of thetable are hollowfa'sshown in Fig. 1. The legs 1 support the platform 2' (Fig. 5) of the table top, and on the platform 2 is supported the base 3 of the table top, the base ordinarily being made of slate. The inner side beams -4 extend between the legs 1 at the sides of the table, and abut against the legs, as shown in Fig. 1. Disposed outwardly of the inner side beams 4 are outer side beams 5, parallel to the inner side beams. The ends of the outer side beams 5 over- 55 lap the outer surfaces of the legs '1, as,

Fig-1. ,An intermediate end plate 6 (Figs. 1 and 4) is provided, and extends between the legs 4 at one end of the table. Disposed outwardly of the intermediate end plate 6 are outer end beams 7 (Figs. 1 and 4) Fillers 8 are inter-posed (Fig. 1-) between the outer side beams 5 and the outer end beam 7 on the one hand, and the legs Ion the other'hand. The fillers'S, the beams '7 and 5, and some parts hereinafter described, are mitered together at the corners of the table.- This explains why sundry parts appear in elevation in Fig. 5, instead of in section. I Inverted L-shaped strips 9 (Fig. 4). are provided. The strips 9cextend entirely around. the table. Their upper'horizontal flanges overhang the outer end beam '7 and the outer side beams 5, and bound the platform 2 and the base 3 of the tabletop. The vertical, depending flanges of the strips 9 extenddownwardly, andoverlap the outer end'beam 7Iand the outer side beams 5. L-shaped' finishing pieces 10 extend around the table. Their horizontal bottom flanges extend across the lower edges of the depending parts of the strips :9, into engagement with the outer end beam? and the outer side beams .5. The vertical upstanding flangesof the finishing'pieces 10 surround the strips 9. The upper edges of the vertical flanges of the finishing pieces 10 upstand above the strips 9 to form tongues 20 (Fig. 4).

The parts 10 are called finishing pieces because they cover the securing elements (not shown) which hold the upper part of the table together. 0n the 'upper surfaces of the inwardly'extended, lower, horizontal parts of the finishing pieces 10, there are dove-tailed longitudinal tongues 11 received in correspondingly shaped longitudinal grooves 12 in the lower edges of the vertical, depending parts of the strips 9.

" Rails 18 are superposed on the strips 9and have longitudinal grooves 19 in their lower 'surfaces. The grooves 19 receive the tongues 20 of the finishing pieces 10; The dove-tailed tongues 11 and the grooves 12 lock the finishing pieces 10 to the strips 9, against downwardmovement, and outward horizontal movement of the upper edges of the vertical parts of the finishing pieces 10 is prevented, because the-tongues 20 at the upper edges of the parts specified are engaged in the grooves 19 of the rails 18.: onconsidered from a different view-point, the tongues 20 aid in retaining the rails 18 against outward movement. The cushions "21 abut against the inner surfaces ofthe rails 18. The surfacing cloth 22 covers the base .3 of the tabletop and cushions 21. .The outer or upper edge of the surfacing cloth 22 is held securely by binding rods 23, seated in recesses 24 in the rails 18.

The inner side beams 4 of the table top are connected intermediate their ends (Fig. 1) by a transverse brace 14 having dove-tailed ends 15 engaged with oppositely-projecting brackets 16 on the inner side beams 4. Longitudinal braces 17 are connected at their inner ends to the intermediate portion of the brace 14. The outer end of one longitudinal brace is connected with the intermediate end plate 6, and the outer end of the other longitudinal brace is connected to the opposite end of the table. Brackets like those shown at 16 in Fig. 1 are employed for anchoring the outer ends of the longitudinal braces 17.

Figure 4 makes it evident that thebraces-14- and 1'? aid in supporting the table top 2-3.

The side pockets (Fig.6) are formed by recessing the outer side beams 5, the strips Sand the rails 18, and pocket holes are formed in the table top 2-3. The side pockets25 communicate with the space between the inner side beams 4 and the outer side beams 5 of Figs. 6 and 1. The corner pockets 26 (Fig. 5) are formed by recessing the corresponding parts at the corners of the table. There are blocks 2'7 (Fig. 1) in the upper ends of the legs 1, there being Y-shaped chambers 28 in the blocks 27, below the corner pockets 26. These chambers communicate, through the pocket holes 31, formed in the table top 23,'with the corner pockets 26, and with the space between the inner side beams 4 and the outer side beams 5, as Fig. 1 will show. Down- Wardly and inwardly inclined supports 32, shown in Figs. 1 and 4, extend between the posts. 1, at

the left hand end of the table in Fig. 1, inwardly of the plate 6 at the said end of the table. The chambers 28 communicate with the space between the end-plate 6 and. the supports 32. The supports 32 and the. end plate 6 form a ball-way, the bottom 33 oiwhich is carried by the parts 6 and 32, andhas elongated openings 34. The bottom 33 may be made of rubber or rubber composition, and the bottom slants downwardly and inwardly from the legs 1,.to the median 1ongitudinal vertical plane of the table, as Fig. 3 will show. The spaces between the side beams 4 and 5 of Fig. 1 form runways for the balls, and theparts .4 and5 carry the bottoms 29 of the runways, the bottoms'being made of rubber or a rubber compound, and having elongated openings 35. Figure 2 shows that the side runways have a slight downward slant toward the corner pockets at the left hand end of the table in Fig. 1.

As shown in Figs. 3, 1 and 4, a supplemental plate 36 is located between the intermediate end plate 6 and the outer end beam 7, at the left hand end of the table in Fig. 1, and is of the same height as the plate 6. Bottom strips 37 (Fig. 3) extend between the end plate 6 and the supplemental'plate 36, and form two superposed horizontal spaces. The uppermost of these spaces is divided into two compartments by a vertical partition 40, shown in Fig. 3. The lower of the said spaces is divided into two compartments by a partition 41, shown in Fig. 4. The partition 41 is considerably wider than the partition 40. Access is had to the four compartments above mentioned, through the openings 38' in the supplemental plate 36. Figure 4 shows that there is an opening 42 through the partition 41. The opening 42 communicates at its inner end with the runway between the supports 32 and the intermediate'end plate 6. The bottom of the opening 42 is closed (Fig. 4) by a tray 43 which extends outwardly beyond the end of the table, as shown in Fig. 1. At its upper edge, the tray 43 is provided with a finishing strip 44, preferably made of metal. Figures 5, 6 and 4, show that the pockets at the corners of the table are covered by metal protectors 45 secured at 46 within the pockets, and extending downwardly over the rails 18 and the finishing pieces-10. The members -45 carry outstanding, trough-shaped receivers 47 in which a cigar butt or the like can be placed.

A drawer 48 (Fig. 4) slides through the outer beam 7,,the plate 36, and the intermediate end plate 6 and is adapted for the storage of the pool balls. I r

In practical operation, the balls received in the corner pockets 26 at the right hand end of the table, or the balls received in the side pockets 25, pass into the inclined runways formed be tween the parts 4 and 5 and by the bottoms 29, and are delivered through the Y-shaped chambers 28 of the blocks 27 intothe downwardly and inwardly inclined runways formed by the parts 6, 32 and 33 of Fig. 1. In a similar way, the balls passing into the corner. pockets 26 at the left hand end of the table in Fig. 1, are received in the chambers 28 and pass into the runways formed atv the end'of the table, by the members 6, 32 and 33. The balls roll inwardly and downwardly, along the runways formed by the parts 6, 33 and 32 and pass through the hole 42, into the tray 43. The balls are picked out of the tray 43, and are inserted throughthe openings 38 (Fig. 3) into the several storage compartments formedbetween the members 6 and 36, and in this'way, each player can keeptrack of his own balls. All of the balls may be stowed away in the drawer 48. i

The construction is such that the player does not haveto pick up-his balls and carry them some distance to a receptacle near the cue-rack (not shown) The balls,.rather, may be taken care of conveniently'by putting them into the proper compartments at the end of the table. It is to-be observed that the several runways, such as the runways formed between the parts 4 and 5, of Fig. 1, or between the parts 32 and 6 of Fig.

1, are located at the edgeof the table and are built into the rails of the table. Owing to the fact that the runways are conveniently located, it is not necessary for the attendant to crawl under the table if the balls happen to stick in the runways. All that the operator has to do is to reach under the edge of the table, and loosen up the balls, by putting his fingers through the side slots or openings 35 of Fig. 1, or through the corresponding end openings 34 inv the downwardly and inwardly-inclined runways at the end of the table. The danger of burning either the table or the billiard cloth or anything else, by cigar or cigarette butts, is avoided, because the butts can be laid conveniently in the receivers 4'7 at the corner of the table.

In Figs. '7, 8 and 9, parts hereinbefore described have been designated by numerals previously used, with the sufiix a. The legs 1a. at the working end of the table are joined by rails 49. In the legs in there are lower partitions 51 and upper partitions 50. The partitions 50 and 51 form receiving compartments 52 for the balls. The spaces above the partitions 50 form storage compartments 53 forthe balls. The balls enter the receiving compartments 52 through holes 54 in the legs. The balls are taken out of the receiving compartments 52 throu holes 55 in th outer sides of the legs, and are placed in the storage compartments 53, through holes 56 in the outer sides of the legs. The side runways 5w- 29a4a deliver the balls from the side pockets, and from the corner pocket at the right hand end of the table in Fig. 1, through the holes 54 into the receiving compartments 52. The balls from the corner pockets at the left hand end of the table in Fig. 1 are delivered into the side runways through chutes 57, and therefore find their way into the receiving compartments 52. The chutes 57 comprise side walls 58, connected by a bottom 59 having openings 60, like the open ings 35 of Fig. l.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A pool table comprising an outer beam, an inverted L-shaped strip extended across the top of the beam and downwardly along the outside of the beam, an L-shaped finishing piece extended downwardly along the outside of the strip and under the strip, the bottom portion of the finishing piece and the bottom portion of the strip having longitudinal, interengaged, tongue and groove, dove-tailed elements, a cushion superposed on the strip, and a table top bounded by the upper portion of the strip.

2. A pool table comprising an outer beam, an inverted L-shaped strip extended across the top of the beam and downwardly along the outside of the beam, an inverted L-shaped finishing piece extended under the strip and upwardly on the outside of the strip, above the upper surface of the strip, to form a tongue, a cushion superposed on the strip and having a groove receiving the tongue, and a table top bounded by the upper portion of the strip.

3. A pool table comprising an outer beam, an inverted L-shaped strip extended across the top of the beam and downwardly along the outside of the beam, an L-shaped finishing piece extended under the strip, and upwardly on the outside of the strip, to a point above the upper surface of the strip, to form a tongue, the bottom portion of the finishing piece and the bottom portion of the strip having longitudinal, interengaged, dovetailed, tongue and groove elements, a cushion superposed on the strip and having a groove receiving the tongue, and a table top bounded by the upper portion of the strip.

4. A pool table having side and corner pockets and comprising a top, hollow legs supporting the top, a frame bounding the top, partitions in the legs and defining receiving compartments and storage compartments located above the receiving compartments, the legs being provided on their outersides with openings giving access to the compartments, inclined runways built into the frame and leading from the side pockets to the receiving compartments, and inclined chutes built into the frame and leading from the corner pockets to the runways.

5. A pool table embodying hollow legs, a frame carried by the legs, and a top on the frame; the frame embodying inner and outer side beams located close to the outer edges of the table, and connections joining the legs at the ends of the table, bottom members mounted on the inner and outer side beams and forming side runways discharging into the legs, the top having side pockets communicating with the runways, and corner pockets communicating with the legs, a tray carried by one of the connections between the legs, transverse runways leading from the legs at one end of the table and discharging into the tray, and means within the legs for directing balls from the side runways and from the corner pockets into the transverse runways.

6. A pool table constructed as set forth in claim 5, and further characterized by the fact that the bottoms of the side runways are provided throughout their entire length with openings, the provision of said openings, and the location of the runways close to the edges of the table making it possible for an operator to get access to the balls in the side runways without crawling under the table.

7. A pool table comprising hollow legs, a top carried by the legs and having pockets communicating with the legs, an intermediate end plate connecting the legs at one end of the table, a supplemental plate connecting the legs at said .end of the table and located outwardly of the runways leading from the legs toward the longitudinal center of the table, means in the legs for directing balls from the pockets into the run-

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