US607031A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Patented July l2, I898.

' W. GILBERT.

GAME APPARATUS. (No Medal.) (Application filed July 14, 1897.)

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\VILLIAM GILBERT, OF ALBANY, MISSOURI.

GA-ME AP ARATufs..:

SPECIFICA TICLI forming part of Letters Patent N0. 607,031, dated July 12, 1898. Application filed July 14,1897. Serial No. 644,524. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM GILBERT, re

siding at Albany, in the county of Gentry and State of Missouri, have invented a Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to g games, and more particularly to games played upon a table or board with balls to be propelled by cues or disks to be propelled by the fingers.

The object of my invention is to produce a new and interesting game of this class; and with this object in View my invention consists in a game-board provided with surrounding cushions, corner receptacles for balls to be played with, marks for distinguishing the stations from which the balls or disks are to be started, and marks to distinguish certain lines and stations to which the balls are to be propelled, and pockets covered with rubber to form cushions against which the balls may be banked during the playing of the game. t

My invention further consists in the improved details of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and afterward specifically pointed out in the claims.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention most nearly appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe and illustrate its construction and operation in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a plan view of the game-table constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through slightly more than one-half of the table on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa detail sectional view showingthe construction of the cushions. Fig. at is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 through a portion of a modified form of board for use with disks only. Fig. ,5 is a detail sectional view to illustrate the cushion on the'board" shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of one of the slides covering the pockets. Fig. 7 is-a detail View showing a sheet-iron pocket, such as used in the modified form of table shown in Figs. 4 and 5, attached to the rail.

The base or foundation of my game-table is composed of two layers A A of hard wood, and preferably covered with oil-cloth,billiardcloth, or similar material. The four corners are cut off, as at B, to form receptacles for the balls not in use.

Cushions O, 0, C and C entirely surround the table, except where interrupted bypockets D, D, D and D one in the center of each side. Thesecushions are composed of rubber or other suitable material set up inside the walls E, E, E and E being cemented or otherwise properly secured thereto.

The lower portions C of the inner face of the cushions are perpendicular for about onehalf the height thereof, the upper half from this point being inclined inward to an acuteangled edge 0 as substantially shown in Fig. 3.

The pockets D are made by attaching semicircularmetal brackets F at the proper positions to project beyond the sides of the table, these brackets being covered with leather, as at F, and suspended below them are pockets F of any textile material, having small openings F in the bottom for the removal of dust,

dirt, &c., which may accumulate in them. The inner sides of the pockets are attached to the outer edges of the table by means of tacks at F Fig. 2.

At the inner edge of each pocket is placed a circular wooden upright G, level with the top of the cushion and having one corner cut away to fit it around the angle of thepocketbracket. These wooden uprights are surrounded with a cushion constructed similar to the cushions before described.- Centrally marked upon the board is a circle H, in the line of which are located pins II, projecting above the table and surrounded by rubber tubes l-l vof aproper shape to form cushions like the main cushions of the table. YVithin this circle and concentric therewith is a second circle I, and centrally located in the center of this circle I is a small pocket K, large enough to receive one ball at a time. In front of each ball-receptacle in the corners are two concentric circles J J, the inner one being not much larger than the circumference of the wall, as shown. v

The table, as hereinbefore described, is adapted to be played upon with balls; but in order to adapt it to be played upon with disks slide-plates L are slidably mounted in the foundation of the table, each being provided with a knob L projecting below the table, by which it can be moved. There are four plates L, one to be arranged just inside of each pocket, and one plate L, arranged alongside of the central pocketK. Each of these plates is curved at its front end and covered with a material somewhat similar to the cover of the top of the table, as at L Fig. 6. By grasping the knob L and moving these plates into position, so that their front covered ends will lie in the pockets, so as to make them flatbottomed and very shallow, the table will be adapted to be played upon with disks instead of balls.

When balls are used, they are struck with cues in the same manner as billiard or pool balls, but when disks are used they are propelled by thefingers direct.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 7 I have shown some modifications especially adapted for tables to be used with disks. In this construction the cushions C, as well as the covering of the posts or pegs G and H, are perpendicular on their inner faces, the acute-angled edge being omitted. The central pocket K is very shallow, with a flat bottom, and the outside pockets are formed of sheet metal, as at D having a lining D of leather or other suitable material, the sheet-metal pockets being secured to the sides E of the table by means of tacks M, driven through holes inside flanges M, lying against the frame, and by tacks M through inward-projecting flanges M to lie against the undersurface of the table.

Inasmuch as the rules of the game are the same for disks as for balls the term balls alone will be used in describing them.

Each player, of whom there may be as many as four, is provided with six balls, which lie in the corner pockets B, as shown in Fig. 1, until ready to be used. The player starts shooting by placing his ball upon the circle J and striking it with a cue. No count can be made by a direct shot; but in order to make a count a ball must, before going into the pocket, be caromed from another ball, from a side cushion, or from one of the cushions H around the centrally-arran ged posts. This is the principal rule of the game, and inasmuch as no count can be made except on an angle I have denominated the game Angulus. Bymaking a propercarom shot a player pocketing his ball is entitled to any particular number agreed upon in advance or as stated in the rules to be promulgated with each table when sold. Counts are also to be made by leaving a ball upon a space between the circles I and H a greater count by leaving the ball in the center pocket K. Inasmuch, however, as the specific rules of the game have no bearing whatever upon the invention, but may be varied to suit the circumstances of each case, no description of them is deemed necessary here.

While I have illustrated and described the best means now known to me for carrying out my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the exact details of construction shown, but hold that I am entitled to any such slight changes or variations of details as would suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A table upon which balls or disks are to be impelled provided with suitable cushions and with pockets opening through said cushions, the corners of said pockets being surrounded by curved cushions extending toward the center of the table, slightly beyond the line of the cushions and slightly into the pockets, thereby to prevent straight shots into the pockets being made, substantially as described.

2. A table upon which balls or disks are to be impelled having marked thereon startingpoints, a central pocket, side pockets, a circular series of pegs around the center pocket and obstructing-cushions at the sides of the side pockets, said obstructing-cushions being in line with the starting-points and side pockets, whereby no direct shot can be made from a starting-point into a side pocket, substantially as described.

3. A table arranged to be played upon with balls, having deep pockets, and slides below the surface of the table to be pushed into the pockets to cut off their lower portions and adapt the table to he played upon with disks, substantially as described.

at. A table upon which balls or disks are to be impelled provided with deep pockets, and slides for making said pockets shallow, said slides being located in the body of the table a short distance below its surface and having their forward portions covered with leather or similar material, substantially as described.

W'M. GILBERT. lVitnesses:

ALFRED SMITH, L. H. DAINGERFIELD.

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