US95084A - Improvement in a billiard and bagatelle-table - Google Patents

Description

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W. A.. eLgRK, -oFHBoSToN, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters PatentNo. 95,084, dated September 21, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT AIn' A BILLIABD AND BAGATELLE-TABLE.

The cheule referred to in thse Letters Patent and making part of the same.

1'0 all persons to whomsthese.presents shall come;

Be it known that 'I,W. A. CLARK, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusettst have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tables; and thatthefollowing is a full and .exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying plates of drawings.

The present invention consists` First, in so connecting a vtable-top, that is made in sections, `hinged orotherwise, susceptible of being arranged, connected, and laid, or broughtinto the same horizontal plane or position, by either more or less of its section, as may be desired, to a supporting framework below, that the relative position of such framework under the table-top cairbe changed, by sliding the one cn the other, to adapt it in position to produce the necessary supportlto the table-top, as it is vlengthened or shortened,l or otherwise changed in its size, by opening fand closing one ormore of its several leaves.

Second, in combination with theabove, so construct-` ing the sections of the tableftop, that, when opened, they will present a surface having a raised strip or bearing entirely around it, whereby the table is' susceptible of use, br.playing billiards thereon, or, if f properly constructed, withv concave sockets, and a circular edge at its end, for a bagatelle-board, or, if sluitably provided with wickets, &c., 'as-a croquet-board, lor for any other game which requires a surface similarly protected ar'ound its edges." l

Third, in the lcombination' with: a. table-top,l coustructed in sections, having an interior depressed surface, of an end piece hinged to the supporting frame- \`vork,so that it can be swung up to close the open rends of the top, when its sections are closed upon each other, or swung downto allow the top tn be `opened and extended; this hingedzend being held closed against the open ends ofthe top ,by a spring-catch, orv other means, arranged in any suitable manner Aand position` therefor l Fourth, in constructing` the interior'surface of the l table-top, at the proper points, with sockets, open at the surface, but closed, partially, at or near the bot-v tom, for receiving plugs, Asuitably formed, to have such surface to the table, either smooth and plain or provided with depressions, according as the game to be played upon the table may require; and also, in combination with the above, with a detachable curve-strip at one or both ends.

Fifth, in combination with the fourth part of my invention, so constructing the plugs therein referred to,

that they can be adjusted, in height, in the sockets of the .table-surface, as maybe desired;

Sixth, in constructing the said plugs with a smooth vor. plain surface at one end', and a concave at the other.

Figure 3, a transverse vertical `section in plane of hne :t ze, fig. l;

Figure 4, a plan view of the table-top opened, and showing its thus exposed surface, constructed for the game of bagatelle;

Figure 5,-a longitudinal section through table-top when opened, showing my invention, embraced in the `fourth and fifth parts; and

Figure 6, a view, in detaii, of a plug, constructed for being lengthened and shortened, and provided with one end smooth and plain, and the other concave or hOllQ-W.' V

A, in the drawings, Arepresents a frame-work, consisting, in the present instance, of parallel side piecesl B, joined together, near their lower ends,by a bar or rail, C, and at their'upper ends attached to a horizontal frame, D. This frame D consistsof sidelrails E E, end-bars E F, and au intermediate cross-piece, G, the whole being joined together in astrong and workmanlike manner.

On the upper side of the iame D, the table-top H,

constructed 4 as will 4be presently described, is placed and rests, and tosuch frame it is attached and con-- nected by means of strips, I, fastened to itsl under side, that are constructed"l at one edge, a, to' set over and beyond the inner edgeb of theside-rails. By this construction and arrangemenn'while the top is fastened to the frame D, the one can be moved upon the other, in the direction of the length of the said siderails, as is obvious,l for adjusting the relative positions of the top and under frame-work, tov giye the most proper support to the top when extended, as will be' described A y The table-top H, in the' present instance, is constructed in three sections, J, K, Vand L, with the first two, J and K, at on'e end, hinged together, so as to h e opened from and closed upon each other, and the remaining section L hinged to one end of frame D, for

'being swung up into position against the hinged ends4 of the other sections, J and K, or relieved therefrom by swinging it down against the frame D.

l, a spring-catch, applied to section L, for fastening it against the ends of the sections J and K,

The two sections J andK of thetop H are each l constructed upon their contiguous sidesk or faces, when closed, with a raised strip or bearing, M, entirely v above described, the relative positions thereto of the supporting frame-work below lis changed, so as to give support to the whole, and hold the top trmly in posiltion, by moving the top upon' the said frame, or vice versa, bringing it to the position, or nearly so, shown in fig. I. by dotted lines.

I?, a series of sockets, made in interior surface Q of table-top, at one end thereof.

These sockets are either closed at their lower ends, or provided with a shoulder for a plug, R, in each case to rest upon, forslling the same.

These plugs are for the purpose of giving a smooth or plain interior surface to the top, and for giving depressions or r-oncavities therein, where the sockets are located, and, in the one case, are constructed at one end with a smooth or plain and in the other with a concave or hollow end, or, in each plug, with both a plain and concave end. l

d, a screw inserted in one end of plugs R, by the screwing of which in and out of the plugs, they can be shortened or lengthened, as it were, in the socket, for adjusting the plane of their ends, at the table-surface, with regard thereto.

In case the plugs have one end iiat and the other concave, they are made in two parts, transversely to their length, joined together by a screw-rod fixed in one and screwing into the other, to enable them to be lengt-hened and shortened for their proper adjustment, relative to the table-surface.

The object of the plugs, and of the sockets in the table-top to receive them, is to enable thetable-surface to be changed for use, either as a billiard-table or a croquet-board, Ste., provided the necessary xtures are located, or for use as a bagatelle-board, by simply changing the plugs from plain to concave ends, or vice tersa, and, in the latter instance, additionally, by inserting a circular board or strip, T, at the end where the cavities are located.

It may he here remarked, that, to more perfectly adapt the table for playing billiards, its side-bearings should be provided with proper constructed cushions, pockets not being absolutely necessary; and that, also for locating the wickets, starting and home-stations, in the game of croquet, it would be well to provide the interior table-surface with sockets P and plugs It, at

suitable points, for the wickets, Src., to be driven or screwed into f, small holes, continued from bottoni of sockets to lower side of table-top.

Ihese holes are made so that a suitable instrument (seel WV, in the drawings,) can be inserted to force the plugs out, when desired to change them, for others, or

ordinary table, with the, additional ones of a croquet,4

or bagatelle, or billiard-table, &c., either all, or one or more, combined in one.

Having thus described my improvements in tables, I shall state my claims, as follows:

What I claim as my invention, and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent, is-

l. A table-top, constructed in sections, in combina' tion with a suitable frame-work or under-support, when the connection between the two is such that they can be relatively adjusted, by sliding the one upon the other, substantially as described, for the purpose speciiied.

2. A table-top, made in sections, and each section so ,constructed as, when opened, to leave a raised bearing around its interior surface, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

3. Atable-top, constructed in sections, with one hinged to the under supporting-frame, when the latter is arranged for adjustment under the former, or tabletop, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A table-top, constructed in sections, with their interior surface provided'with sockets for the reception of plugs, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The plugs It, for the sockets of the table, when Set forth.

W. A. CLARK.

Witnesses:

ALBELT W. BROWN, EDWIN W. BROWN.

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