US3495825A

US3495825A - Pool table trough with finger receiving holes

Info

Publication number: US3495825A
Application number: US631343A
Authority: US
Inventors: Otto S Nielsen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-04-17
Filing date: 1967-04-17
Publication date: 1970-02-17
Anticipated expiration: 1987-02-17

Description

o. s. NIELSEN 3,495,825

POOL TABLE TROUGH WITH FINGER RECEIVING HOLES Feb. E7, W7

w E m M w mm w W, 9 m A m 7 o 0 W 7 mm. M, mm\|% 6 NW. N mmw m mN L3 @N n v mww EE mmw m M\ United States Patent 3,495,825 POOL TABLE TROUGH WITH FINGER RECEIVING HOLES Otto S. Nielsen, 4875 Sorell Ave. N., Minneapolis, Minn. 55422 Filed Apr. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 631,343 Int. Cl. A63d 15/00 US. Cl. 273l1 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pool table with a ball return trough extending along each side with a ball collecting area midway of the longitudinal sides of the table, the trough being moulded of plastic sheet material and having discharge openings at the sidewall through which the balls are flipped outwardly by a persons finger extended into the bottom of the trough through tapered holes arranged to ordinarily position the balls immediately adjacent the discharge opening in the sidewalls.

This invention relates to pool tables and more particularly to the ball return portion of the pool table.

Heretofore, it has been common practice to extend the ball return tracks throughout the entire length of the table so as to collect the balls adjacent one end thereof. It has been necessary in such tables to separately construct a panel or shroud structure as to enclose the track in order to provide the pool table with a presentable appearance.

An object of my invention is to provide a pool table with a ball return and collecting structure of simple and inexpensive construction and operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a pool table with a ball return trough underlying the longitudinal side of the table and for collecting the balls midway between the ends of the table so that the symmetrically shaped trough provides the ornamental shroud for the side of the table and requires no further enclosures.

Another object of my invention is to provide a moulded ball return trough forming the shroud of the table and provided with ball discharge openings through which the balls may be readily and easily flipped by a persons finger.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the table;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal detail section view taken approximately at 2-2 in FIG. 1 and with the bed and side rail, assembly removed for clarity of detail;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section view taken at 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail section view taken approximately at 44 in FIG. 2.

One form of the present invention is shown in the drawings and is described herein. The pool table is provided with a supporting structure 11 carrying the bed 12 in a stationary and level position. The bed 12 includes a rigid panel 13 having a planar top surface which is covered by a fabric 14. The bed 12 is surrounded on all four sides by a side rail assembly 15 which includes rigid linear frame elements 16, generally constructed of wood, a resilient rubber bumper 17 which is covered by a fabric 18 identical to the fabric 14. The side rail assembly 15 is affixed to the bed 12, and may carry a suitable strip 19 of trim.

The side rail assembly 15 and the bed 12 cooperatively define a plurality of pocket openings 20 arranged in the conventional manner, at the corners and midway along the longitudinal sides for the balls to fall through.

The side rail assembly is provided with leather backing 21 adjacent each of the pocket openings for absorbing the shock of impact by the billard balls.

A pair of identical ball receiving and return troughs 22 are mounted at the respective longitudinal sides of the table 10 and in underlying relation with the several pocket openings 20 therealong. The troughs 22 are vacuum-formed of substantially rigid plastic sheet material, such as polystyrene or numerous other plastics that are commercially available. The outer sidewall 23 forms the ornamental trim or sidewall panel of the table 10 so as to eliminate the need for any encompassing cabinet work. At the inner side of the trough, a horizontal flange 24 extends the full length of the trough and is connected to a strut 25 which is constructed of heavy gauge sheet metal with its upper and lower edges respectively flanged and secured as by screws to the panel 13 of the bed 12 and to the flange 24 of the trough. The strut 25 adds substantial rigidity to the pool table structure 10 as a whole and also serves to define the inner sidewall of the trough.

At each end of the trough 22, the bottom 26 is inclined from the terminal end portions of the trough toward the medial portion thereof. The inclined bottom 26 is provided with a channel shaped groove 27 at each of its end portions so that the upper edge portions 28 of the groove cooperatively cradle the balls received thereon and define a track directing the balls toward the medial portion 29 of the bottom. The medial portion 29 provides a collecting area for the balls from which the balls will be removed through the ball discharging openings 30 in the sidewall 23. It will be recognized that the openings 30 exceed the size of the billard balls used with the table so as to permit the balls to be readily removed therethrough.

The medial portion 29 of the bottom of the trough is substantially flat and level, and as a result of the vacuum-forming technique in forming the troughs 22, a plywood insert panel 29a remains at the inner side of the trough to form a portion of the bottom thereof. This medial portion 29 of the bottom is provided with a plurality of finger holes 31, each of which is disposed immediately adjacent one of the ball discharge openings 30. The finger holes 31 have an elongate and tapered shape, oriented transversely of the sidewall 23 with the broadest end 31a of the finger openings immediately adjacent the sidewall 23. It will be understood that normally the balls in the trough 22 will come to rest upon one of the finger holes 31 and as a result of the tapered shape thereof, will roll outwardly toward the wall 23 to be seated at the broadest end portion 31a thereof. The broad end portion 31a is out of alignment with the path of movement of the balls moving along the track defined by the groove edges 28 so that the balls moving along the track will not engage and squarely impact the balls which may be seated in the finger holes 31.

It will be noted that the rounded lower periphery 30a of each of the ball discharge openings .30 is spaced upwardly from the bottom of the trough so as to confine the balls along the medial portion of the bottom and prevent accidental discharge thereof from the trough.

3 It will be recognized that with dilferent arrangement of ball delivers tracks, the individual ball discharge openingsftogether with the adjacent tapered finger holes might be used in an end location of a pool table.

When a ball drops through one of the corner pocket openings 20, the ball will fall into the bottom of the trough and'immediately start rolling down the inclined track toward the medial portion 29 of the trough. The ball will pick up some momentum so that the first ball to arrive at the intermediate portion 29 will generally bounce over the first and second finger holes 31 and come to rest on one of the other finger holes. As previously indicated; the "ball will move toward the adjacent discharge opening 30, because of the tapered shape of the finger hole 31. As successive balls are dropped through the pocket openings 20, they will roll down the track and come to rest on respective finger holes 31 so as to be available for immediate removal from the trough 22 As the billard ball is seated on the broad portion 31a of the finger hole, the opposite end of the finger hole is substantially open and unobstructed so that a persons finger may be readily and easily inserted into this rear portion of the hole and with one finger the ball will be engaged and moved forwardly toward the wall 23. Immediately upon movement of the ball by a single finger, the ball will engage the lower rounded peripheral portion 30a of the discharge opening 30 and will be cradled thereby so that the ball will not roll sidewards in either direction. It will also be noted that because the persons finger will be inserted through the rear or narrower end portion of the hole 31, the ball will be engaged along its rear portion and the ball will naturally tend to move forwardly and toward openings 30 for ultimate removal. As the bali is lifted slightly, it will move upwardly over the lower periphery of the hole 30 and will fall outwardly into the open palm of the persons hand.

It will be understood that because of the construction of the ball return portions of the trough 22, the balls may be very quickly removed from the trough. Each of the balls is individually visible through the openings 30 so that in the situation of a scratch shot, the cue ball and the proper numbered ball may be quickly identified and retrieved.

Eventhough the balls may be very quickly and easily removed from the discharge openings 30, it is extremely unlikely that any of the balls will be accidentally discharged through the openings .30. It will be noted that the balls will be seated out of alignment with the inclined track and therefore the full impact of the balls rolling from the track will be diverted. Furthermore, the ball which is seated in one of the holes 31, is actually disposed below the level of the trough bottom and must be uplifted first out of the hole 31 and then over the portion of the sidewall adjacent the lower periphery 30a of the discharge opening.

The ornamental shroud 32 at each of the ends of the table and between the troughs 22 is also vacuum-formed of the same plastic material to the same shape of the ends of the trough as illustrated. The shroud 32, as well as the outer wall 23 of the troughs 22 is securely fasteried to the side rail assembly and may be concealed under the trim 19 as illustrated.

Of course the troughs 22 might also be provided with a single elongate access opening extending along the medial portions 29 for removal of the balls. In such an arrangement, the finger holes 31 would be eliminated along the flat bottom of the medial portions 29 so as to define a ball collecting tray with one side of the trough open therealong.

It will be seen that I have provided a new and improved pool table construction wherein the ball return trough provides the ornamental sidewall of the table and returns the balls midway along the longitudinal sides of the table to the collecting area where the balls may be individually and quickly removed through the discharge openings by a simple flick of a persons finger.

Of course will be understood that various changes maybe made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a pool table having asupporting structure, a rectangular bed and side rail assembly defining pocket openings to receive the .balls downwardly therethrough,

the improvement comprising a pair of elongate ball return troughs respectively extending along the longitudinal sides of the bed, and each being of one piece, unitary construction the end and medial portions of each of said troughs underlying the respective pocket openings and receiving balls therefrom, each of the troughs having a pair of ball delivery tracks in generally end-to-end relation and respectively sloping in opposite directions and downwardly toward the medial portion of the trough, the trough having a ball collecting area at the medial portion and between the tracks, each of said troughs being of channel shaped cross-sectional configuration including a bottom wall and upright ball confining sidewalls integral with said bottom wall, the outermost of said side walls of each trough having an access opening therein at said medial portion and adjacent said collecting area for permitting removal of the balls from the troughs,

the bottom wall of each of said troughs being of flat configuration at said medial portion to define an elongate ba'il collecting tray, and the bottom wall of each of said troughs having a plurality of finger openings therein to facilitate removal of balls from the tray through said access openings.

2. In a pool table having a supporting structure, a rectangular bed and side rail assembly defining pocket openings to receive the balls downwardly therethrough,

and ball receivhig means underlying said pocket openings and including a hall carrying trough beneath the bed, said trough having a bottom with adjoining ball delivery and collecting portions and also having an upright ball confining sidewall adjoining the bottom, said delivery portions of the bottom being sloped toward the collecting portions for delivering the balls thereto, the collecting portions of the bottom having a plurality of finger receiving holes spaced from each other along the sidewall to admit entrance of a persons finger for manipulating the balls in said collecting portion and said holes also seating and accurately positioning the balls thereover, the sidewall having a plurality of enlarged ball discharge openings each adjacent a respective hole and each of said openings defining a lower ball cradling periphery closely adjacent the corresponding finger hole to immediately receive a ball when lifted out of the corresponding hole with one finger of a persons hand and thereby provide convenient manipulation and handling of the balls during removal from said collecting portions.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said finger holes are of s-ufficient size as to readily and easily admit entrance of an adults finger therethrough and to seat a ball below the level of said bottom at the collecting ortions, the lower ball cradling periphery of each of said openings being spaced above said bottom whereby to prevent balls seated upon said holes from being accidentally bounced outwardly through said discharge openings by balls traveling into said collecting portions from the sloped delivery portions with substantial velocity.

4. The invention according to claim 2 and said finger holes having an elongate shape and being oriented transversely relative to the sidewall, and said elongate finger holes being tapered in the longitudinal direction thereof with the broadest portion thereof being disposed closely adjacent said discharge openings to seat the balls closely adjacent the discharge opening and permit access of a persons finger through the hole and behind the ball for flipping the ball outwardly of the sidewall.

5. The invention according to claim 4 wherein the sloped delivery portions of the bottom define an inclined delivery track guiding balls along a predetermined path toward the collecting portions and across said tapering finger holes therein, the broad end of each of said finger holes being located closely adjacent the sidewall and at one side of said predetermined path for positioning the balls below and out of direct alignment with the path of travel of the balls from said track.

6. The invention according to claim 2 wherein the lower periphery of each of said ball discharge openings is rounded to prevent sideward movement of the ball as the ball is urged through the discharge opening.

References Cited 10 RICHARD c. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner THOMAS ZACK, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.