US2627407A - Billiard table leveling apparatus - Google Patents
Billiard table leveling apparatus Download PDFInfo
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- US2627407A US2627407A US144775A US14477550A US2627407A US 2627407 A US2627407 A US 2627407A US 144775 A US144775 A US 144775A US 14477550 A US14477550 A US 14477550A US 2627407 A US2627407 A US 2627407A
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- rails
- slate
- members
- levelling
- bed
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63D—BOWLING GAMES, e.g. SKITTLES, BOCCE OR BOWLS; INSTALLATIONS THEREFOR; BAGATELLE OR SIMILAR GAMES; BILLIARDS
- A63D15/00—Billiards, e.g. carom billiards or pocket billiards; Billiard tables
Definitions
- This invention relates to improvements in billiard tables or the like particularly billiard tables of the type supported on legs or pedestals at the end only without the use of intermediate legs.
- the principal object of the invention is to provide a table, the playing surface of which can be more ⁇ accurately and easily levelled than previous table constructions without the use of jacks, shims or other such auxiliary equipment.
- a further and very important object is to provide for accurate levelling of a table supported solely on end legs or pedestals while maintaining the slate bed forming the playing surface solidly supported in any condition of level, eliminating the necessity of using shims or the like beneath the slate bed which cause sagging of and damage to the slate and provide a hollow sound to the playing surface.
- a further important object is to provide for levelling of the table surface upon either shrinkage, expansion or sagging of the table sides or warping of the slate bed and to provide for levelling any section of the playing surface without disturbing the level of the remainder of the table.
- Still another object is to provide for locking of the playing surface in level.
- the principal feature of the invention resides in supporting the playing surface on longitudinal rails adjustable relative the table sides in a manner to permit compensation for all factors affecting the level of the table to permit the playing surface to be maintained level while solidly supported throughout the length of the table.
- a further important feature resides in anchoring the playing surface supporting rails at the ends to the table sides whereby the rails are fixed at the ends but free to flex between the ends and providing the adjusting or levelling means as screw-threaded means to engage the rails between the fixed ends to operate the rails in ilexure at any section relative the table sides to provide the levelling action.
- a still ⁇ further feature consists in providing means for locking sections of the playing surface carrying rails in any position of ilexure to prevent movement of the playing surface When levelled and also to permit flexing of adjacent rail sections in the operation of levelling the playing surface without disturbing the ilexure of the locked section.
- Figure 1 is a plan view of a billiard t-able constructed in accordance with this invention with a portion of the playing surface broken away to disclose the supporting means therebeneath.
- Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the table of Figure l.
- Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the end of the table of Figure 1 with the cushion rail removed.
- Figure 4 is a very much enlarged fragmentary vertical section transversely through the table side frame member with the cushion rail removed and showing the manner in which the slate bed is supported for adjustment relative the table side member on a longitudinal rail.
- Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view on an enlarged scale of a billiard table constructed in accordance with another embodiment of my invention, the cushion rail being removed and the table side partly broken away for clarity.
- Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical section on the line 6 6 of Figure 5.
- the slate itself is liable to eventually sag between the points of support so that in time levelling through the entirety of the table is impossible.
- the present invention overcomes all of the above disadvantages by permitting accurate levelling with facility and without the use of shims, jacks or the like, while at the same time maintaining the slate bed solidly supported throughout the length of the table.
- a billiard table comprising an embodiment of my invention includes the spaced longitudinal side frame members I in the form of channels spanning between theV end pedestals 2 and rigidly vSecured thereto.
- the rails 3 Arranged within the channels of the side frame members I are longitudinal rails 3 secured at the ends to the frame members by the bolts 4 which also serve to secure the frame cross members 5.
- lock bolts I2 anchored to vthe rails 3, and by tightening these lock bolts I2 the adjacent sections of the rails 3 i can be locked in a desired position of iiexure against accidental movement and against movement while 4adjacent rail sections are being adjusted in flexure by the adjusting bolts in a table levelling operation.
- the load of the slate bed 6 is transferred to the longitudinal rails 3 by the slate-engaging longitudinal rails I3 and transverse rails I which'form, together with the rails 3, 'a iiexible slate-supporting frame or section carried by the rigid fixed longitudinal side frame members I.
- the slate-engaging rails I3 are anchored to the rails 3 by bolts I5 and extend above the upper surfaces of the frame members I.
- the transverse rails or supports I4 engaging the slate bed are tongued into the rails I3 by the tongues I6 and are additionally anchored thereto by bolts il engaging through the rails I3 and bolt blocks i8 which arer anchored to the sides of the rails lli.
- transverse rails I4 are arranged to underlie the lines of abutment or joints between the slateA sections 6.
- the longitudinal rails 3 can be flexed to move upwardly complementary to and in compensation for the sagging to maintain the table surface level. Thiscan be accomplished independent of where sagging occurs and by clamping the sections of the rails 3, which need to be maintained against movement, by the lock bolts I2, the adjacent sections of the rails 3 can be flexed to conform that section of the slate which is out of trueness with the remainder of the ⁇ slate bed back into level.
- this levelling vaction can be precise and easily accomplished and once levelled the rails i, can be permanently anchored until new'conditions arise requiring further levelling.
- the playing surface of the table will be solid, eliminating the hollow sounding where shims are used, and the slate sections or slabs themselves Will be prevented from sagging to dish formations.
- the principle of fiexure employed by xing the rails 3 at the ends is important as it gives a more rened and accurate control of the levelling operation and permits the levelling of the table to be referred to i'ixed points. It also permits the exact complementary shape of the side members of the table under sagging to be obtained so that a precisely level surface for any condition of sag can be obtained and can be obtained quickly and easily with the aid only of a means for determining the level of the table.
- the side frame members cf the table constitute the rails 2
- the rails 2i have secured thereto the brackets 22 which may comprise either a continuous bracket or plurality of spaced brackets, and in the illustration shown in Figure 6 the brackets or bracket rail are T-shaped angle members and support the adjusting bolts 8' which operate against the longitudinal slate-carrying rails 3 to flex these rails complementary to the sagging of the frame rails 2
- a billiard table or the like longitudinal xed side members, longitudinal flexure rails supported by and extending longitudinally of said side frame members substantially from end-toend thereof, said rails having their ends rigidly secured to the ends of said side frame members against vertical movement and being free to hex between the ends thereof, a horizontal table bed continuously supported from said rails from endto-end of said bed, adjusting means supported by said frame members and engaging said rails at spaced points intermediate of the ends thereof to ilex said rails in a levelling operation, and means intermediate the ends of said rails clamping said rails to said side members in desired positions of fiexure.
- a table bed comprising a plurality of slate sections extending transversely between said side frame members and supported on said flexure elements, screw adjusting means carried by said frame members and engaging the underside of said flexure elements at spaced points along their length to ex same upwardly of said frame members, and clamp means carried by said exure elements intermediate the ends thereof to clamp said exure elements to said side members in 35 desired positions of exure.
- a device as claimed in claim 2 in which said side frame members are channels and said ilexure elements comprise longitudinal lexure rails located between the flanges of said channels and each carrying a longitudinal support rail on which said slate sections are received to continuously support said bed end-to-end of said channels.
- end leg supporting means longitudinal side members spanning between said end support means, a longitudinal bed-levelling flexure member supported by and extending substantially from end-to-end of each of said side members, a table bed comprising a plurality of slate sections extending transversely between said side members and supported on said flexure members, said exure members being adapted to be ilexed to level said bed continuously from end-to-end thereof and continuously from section-to-section upon any sag in said side members or flexure members under weight of said bed and having their ends rigidly secured against vertical movement under bedlevelling operation, and adjusting means supported by said side members and engaging said flexure members at spaced points intermediate the fixed ends thereof to flex said flexure members in a bed-levelling operation.
Description
E. H. ACLAND BILLIARD TABLE `LEVELING APPARATUS Feb. 3, 1.953
Filed Feb. 17, 195o Patented Feb. 3, 1953 BILLIARD TABLE LEVELING APPARATUS- Edward Headley Acland, Montreal, Quebec, Canp ada, assignor to Burroughes & Watts (Canada) Limited, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application February 17, 1950, Serial No. 144,775 In Canada December 22, 1949 4 Claims.
This invention relates to improvements in billiard tables or the like particularly billiard tables of the type supported on legs or pedestals at the end only without the use of intermediate legs.
The principal object of the invention is to provide a table, the playing surface of which can be more `accurately and easily levelled than previous table constructions without the use of jacks, shims or other such auxiliary equipment.
A further and very important object is to provide for accurate levelling of a table supported solely on end legs or pedestals while maintaining the slate bed forming the playing surface solidly supported in any condition of level, eliminating the necessity of using shims or the like beneath the slate bed which cause sagging of and damage to the slate and provide a hollow sound to the playing surface.
A further important object is to provide for levelling of the table surface upon either shrinkage, expansion or sagging of the table sides or warping of the slate bed and to provide for levelling any section of the playing surface without disturbing the level of the remainder of the table.
Still another object is to provide for locking of the playing surface in level.
The principal feature of the invention resides in supporting the playing surface on longitudinal rails adjustable relative the table sides in a manner to permit compensation for all factors affecting the level of the table to permit the playing surface to be maintained level while solidly supported throughout the length of the table.
A further important feature resides in anchoring the playing surface supporting rails at the ends to the table sides whereby the rails are fixed at the ends but free to flex between the ends and providing the adjusting or levelling means as screw-threaded means to engage the rails between the fixed ends to operate the rails in ilexure at any section relative the table sides to provide the levelling action.
A still `further feature consists in providing means for locking sections of the playing surface carrying rails in any position of ilexure to prevent movement of the playing surface When levelled and also to permit flexing of adjacent rail sections in the operation of levelling the playing surface without disturbing the ilexure of the locked section.
In one embodiment of my inventionY still another feature is in forming the side members of the table as longitudinal angle members to extend between the end-supporting pedestals and 2 l operating the playing surface carrying rails which are anchored at the ends to the angle members by adjusting screws operating through the flange of the angle members. e
The above and other objects and features of my invention will become apparent from the following description with respect to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a billiard t-able constructed in accordance with this invention with a portion of the playing surface broken away to disclose the supporting means therebeneath.
Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the table of Figure l.
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the end of the table of Figure 1 with the cushion rail removed.
Figure 4 is a very much enlarged fragmentary vertical section transversely through the table side frame member with the cushion rail removed and showing the manner in which the slate bed is supported for adjustment relative the table side member on a longitudinal rail.
Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view on an enlarged scale of a billiard table constructed in accordance with another embodiment of my invention, the cushion rail being removed and the table side partly broken away for clarity.
Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical section on the line 6 6 of Figure 5.
The playing surface on billiard tables of large dimensions in which the slate bed is of necessity very thick and heavy frequently gets out of level through several causes including uneven settling of the floor on which the table is erected, shrinkage, expansion or sagging of the side and other members of the table which directly sup port the playing surface and in some instances warping and sagging of the slate slabs them-v selves. Such faults have in the past been corrected in tables with more than four corne-r legs by lifting the low sections of the side members of the table frame by means of a jack and raising the nearest leg to the low section by means of a wood shim or shims placed between the leg and the floor.
In tables with only four corner legs or sup ported near the ends by pedestals,V the levelling of the playing surface or slate bed upon sagging of the playing area can only be `done by shims or other means between the top of the table sides and the underside of the slate bed. In previous tables of this type supported solely at the ends without intermediate legs, partcularly where the tables are large, the use of shims between the table sides and slate bed has been the accepted means of levelling. Such a method of levelling provides serious disadvantages. The slate slabs do not in themselves rest entirely and directly on the table frame and the balls rolling on the table give a hollow sound which is highly undesirable.
Furthermore, the slate itself is liable to eventually sag between the points of support so that in time levelling through the entirety of the table is impossible.
The present invention overcomes all of the above disadvantages by permitting accurate levelling with facility and without the use of shims, jacks or the like, while at the same time maintaining the slate bed solidly supported throughout the length of the table.
While I am aware that various attempts have been made to provide screw adjustment for levelling table sections, such previous attempts have fallen far short of a satisfactory means for the complete levelling of the table provided for in my invention, as will be hereinafter understood.
With reference to Figures 1 to fi, a billiard table comprising an embodiment of my invention includes the spaced longitudinal side frame members I in the form of channels spanning between theV end pedestals 2 and rigidly vSecured thereto.
Arranged Within the channels of the side frame members I are longitudinal rails 3 secured at the ends to the frame members by the bolts 4 which also serve to secure the frame cross members 5. The rails 3, which carry the load of the slate bed made up of the slate sections 5 as will be'hereinafter understood, thus are rigidly fixed at the ends but are free to ne); between the ends and therefore comprise fiexure elements.
Operating through the lower flanges l of the channel frame members I at spaced intervals, preferably corresponding to the lines of abutment of the slate sections 6, are adjusting bolts 8 which engage against the bearing insert strip 9 in the bottom surface of the rails 3 as shown in Figure 4. The rails 3 can thus be ilexed between their xed ends by the bolts 8 Which can be locked in position by the lock nuts IB.
Operating through slots II in the webs of the channel frame members I are lock bolts I2 anchored to vthe rails 3, and by tightening these lock bolts I2 the adjacent sections of the rails 3 i can be locked in a desired position of iiexure against accidental movement and against movement while 4adjacent rail sections are being adjusted in flexure by the adjusting bolts in a table levelling operation.
The load of the slate bed 6 is transferred to the longitudinal rails 3 by the slate-engaging longitudinal rails I3 and transverse rails I which'form, together with the rails 3, 'a iiexible slate-supporting frame or section carried by the rigid fixed longitudinal side frame members I.
The slate-engaging rails I3 are anchored to the rails 3 by bolts I5 and extend above the upper surfaces of the frame members I. 'The transverse rails or supports I4 engaging the slate bed are tongued into the rails I3 by the tongues I6 and are additionally anchored thereto by bolts il engaging through the rails I3 and bolt blocks i8 which arer anchored to the sides of the rails lli.
These transverse rails I4, as shown in Figure l, are arranged to underlie the lines of abutment or joints between the slateA sections 6.
Closing the sides of the table and forming the cushions I9 are the cushion railsZil, seen particularly in Figure 2. i
It will be appreciated that under any sagging of the frame members I, which in a large table must thoroughly support an extremely heavy load in the slate secti ons 6 over a considerable span between the pedestals 2, the longitudinal rails 3 can be flexed to move upwardly complementary to and in compensation for the sagging to maintain the table surface level. Thiscan be accomplished independent of where sagging occurs and by clamping the sections of the rails 3, which need to be maintained against movement, by the lock bolts I2, the adjacent sections of the rails 3 can be flexed to conform that section of the slate which is out of trueness with the remainder of the `slate bed back into level.
With the screw arrangements provided by the adjusting bolts 8 this levelling vaction can be precise and easily accomplished and once levelled the rails i, can be permanently anchored until new'conditions arise requiring further levelling.
It is extremely important to note that during all levelling operations the slate bed is supported solidly throughout the length of the table and transversely at adjoining slate sections by the siate-engaging rails I3 and Iii carried by the rails S.
Thus the playing surface of the table will be solid, eliminating the hollow sounding where shims are used, and the slate sections or slabs themselves Will be prevented from sagging to dish formations.
In the levelling operation the principle of fiexure employed by xing the rails 3 at the ends is important as it gives a more rened and accurate control of the levelling operation and permits the levelling of the table to be referred to i'ixed points. It also permits the exact complementary shape of the side members of the table under sagging to be obtained so that a precisely level surface for any condition of sag can be obtained and can be obtained quickly and easily with the aid only of a means for determining the level of the table.
In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 5 and 6 the side frame members cf the table constitute the rails 2| supported edgewise on the pedestals 2. The rails 2i have secured thereto the brackets 22 which may comprise either a continuous bracket or plurality of spaced brackets, and in the illustration shown in Figure 6 the brackets or bracket rail are T-shaped angle members and support the adjusting bolts 8' which operate against the longitudinal slate-carrying rails 3 to flex these rails complementary to the sagging of the frame rails 2| between their ends which are fixed to the rails ZI by bolts 23.
Again the locking feature of anchoring the rail sections'in any position of iiexure is provided by means of the lock bolts I 2 carried by the rails 3' guild operating in the Vslots Il of the frame rails Carried by the rails 3 are additional loadsupporting longitudinal and transverse slateengaging rails 2d and 25 respectively which provide effective supportto the slate sections over extensive areas, and it will be understood that as before, regardless of the position to which the slate sections are moved relative the table sides, 'Zheywill be solidly supported in the level posiion.
v will be understood and appreciated that various modications and alterationsV maybe made in the precise construction of the table without departing from the, spirit of this invention or scope of the appended claims. l
What I claim as my invention is:
1. In a billiard table or the like, longitudinal xed side members, longitudinal flexure rails supported by and extending longitudinally of said side frame members substantially from end-toend thereof, said rails having their ends rigidly secured to the ends of said side frame members against vertical movement and being free to hex between the ends thereof, a horizontal table bed continuously supported from said rails from endto-end of said bed, adjusting means supported by said frame members and engaging said rails at spaced points intermediate of the ends thereof to ilex said rails in a levelling operation, and means intermediate the ends of said rails clamping said rails to said side members in desired positions of fiexure.
2. In a billiard table or the like, longitudinal xed side frame members, a longitudinal flexure element carried by and extending substantially end-to-end of each of side frame members, said longitudinal flexure elements having their ends rigidly secured to the ends of said side frame members against vertical movement and being free to flex between their fixed ends, a table bed comprising a plurality of slate sections extending transversely between said side frame members and supported on said flexure elements, screw adjusting means carried by said frame members and engaging the underside of said flexure elements at spaced points along their length to ex same upwardly of said frame members, and clamp means carried by said exure elements intermediate the ends thereof to clamp said exure elements to said side members in 35 desired positions of exure.
3. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which said side frame members are channels and said ilexure elements comprise longitudinal lexure rails located between the flanges of said channels and each carrying a longitudinal support rail on which said slate sections are received to continuously support said bed end-to-end of said channels.
4. In a billiard table or the like, end leg supporting means, longitudinal side members spanning between said end support means, a longitudinal bed-levelling flexure member supported by and extending substantially from end-to-end of each of said side members, a table bed comprising a plurality of slate sections extending transversely between said side members and supported on said flexure members, said exure members being adapted to be ilexed to level said bed continuously from end-to-end thereof and continuously from section-to-section upon any sag in said side members or flexure members under weight of said bed and having their ends rigidly secured against vertical movement under bedlevelling operation, and adjusting means supported by said side members and engaging said flexure members at spaced points intermediate the fixed ends thereof to flex said flexure members in a bed-levelling operation.
EDWARD HEADLEY ACLAND.
REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Treiber June 4, 1929 Number
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2627407X | 1949-12-22 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| US2627407A true US2627407A (en) | 1953-02-03 |
Family
ID=4176581
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| US144775A Expired - Lifetime US2627407A (en) | 1949-12-22 | 1950-02-17 | Billiard table leveling apparatus |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US2627407A (en) |
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3396679A (en) * | 1963-03-04 | 1968-08-13 | Universal Drafting Machine Cor | Drafting-digitizing apparatus |
| US6132320A (en) * | 1998-09-22 | 2000-10-17 | Spoerl; Brian J. | Playing surface leveling apparatus and method |
| US6244969B1 (en) * | 1999-10-07 | 2001-06-12 | Jeffrey G. Murphy | Adjustable billiard table bed support |
| US20070232403A1 (en) * | 2006-04-03 | 2007-10-04 | Shenzhen Xiu Zhi Import And Export Company Limited | Billiard table with reinforcement on structure and support for the heavy slate |
| US20090270190A1 (en) * | 2008-04-25 | 2009-10-29 | Chien-Tu Lu | Faceplate of a billiard table |
| US8827823B1 (en) * | 2011-12-09 | 2014-09-09 | Diamond Billiard Products, Inc. | Leveling device for billiard table |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US1715631A (en) * | 1925-10-28 | 1929-06-04 | William H Mcwhorter | Game table |
-
1950
- 1950-02-17 US US144775A patent/US2627407A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US1715631A (en) * | 1925-10-28 | 1929-06-04 | William H Mcwhorter | Game table |
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3396679A (en) * | 1963-03-04 | 1968-08-13 | Universal Drafting Machine Cor | Drafting-digitizing apparatus |
| US6132320A (en) * | 1998-09-22 | 2000-10-17 | Spoerl; Brian J. | Playing surface leveling apparatus and method |
| US6244969B1 (en) * | 1999-10-07 | 2001-06-12 | Jeffrey G. Murphy | Adjustable billiard table bed support |
| US20070232403A1 (en) * | 2006-04-03 | 2007-10-04 | Shenzhen Xiu Zhi Import And Export Company Limited | Billiard table with reinforcement on structure and support for the heavy slate |
| US20090270190A1 (en) * | 2008-04-25 | 2009-10-29 | Chien-Tu Lu | Faceplate of a billiard table |
| US8827823B1 (en) * | 2011-12-09 | 2014-09-09 | Diamond Billiard Products, Inc. | Leveling device for billiard table |
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