US968187A - Billiard-bridge. - Google Patents

Description

BILLIARD BRIDGE.

APPLICATION IILED APBVB, 1910. v

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

ilMlql/ENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB N. MCINTIRE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE BRUNSWIGK -BALKE- COLLENDER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BILLIARD-BRIDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 23 1910,

Application filed April 6, 1910. Serial No. 553,881.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JACOB N. MoINTIRE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, (whose postofiice address is No. 1409 Prospect avenue, Bronx borough, New York city, New York,) have invented a new and useful Improvement in Billiard-Bridges, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partthereof.

My invention relates to bridges, used on a pool or billiard table, to enable the player to get a rest for the playing end portion of his cue when, on account of other balls, besides the cue-ball, being in the way, he cannot use his left hand, as usual, to make abridge.

It has for its object to provide for use a simple, durable, and eflicient metallic attachment device for the ordinary wooden bridge which, when permanently applied to any bridge may be set or adjusted, relatively thereto, so as to afford two additional rests for the one; one of greater elevation than any one of the notch-rests of the bridge block; and another in a location forward of, or in advance of, the bridge block. And to this end and object my invention may be said to consist in the novel construction of bridge attachment which will be found herein described, and which will be most particularly pointed out in the claims of this specification.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use the bridge attachment made the subject of my invention, I will now proceed to fully describe the construction and operation thereof, referring by reference letters to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, and in which I have shown my invention carried out in that precise form of device in which I have, so far, successfully practiced it; though, of course, some variations in the details, and mere modifications of the structure shown may be adopted, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a back view of an ordinary bridge set in the usual position on the table for use, and provided with my improved metallic attachment device, set in a position, or condition of disuse. Fig. 2 is a similar view; but with the attachment device turned up into or set in a position to utilize it for affording, at its upper end, a rest for the cue, at a higher elevation than can be accorded it by any one of the notches in the bridge block. Fig. 3 is a side view of the device with its adjustable parts set in the position illustrated in the back view at Fig. .2. Fig. 4 is a perspective viewfrom a rear point of sightwith the attachment device adjusted so as to afford a rest for the cue materially in ad vance of that accorded either by the bridge block, or by the attachment device, when the latter is set in the position seen at Figs. 2 and 3. And Fig. 5 is a detailhorizontal, cross sectional view, on a somewhat enlarged scale, taken in a plane indicated by the dotted line ww at Fig. 2; to show, particularly, the means employed for impositively locking, in either of its two positions, the root end of the vibratory cue-rest arms of the metallic attachment; and for, likewise, securing in its closed-down or folded condition the vibratory end of the extension arm of saidattachment. And, at Fig. 1, the dotted circle indicates, in vertical cross-section, a billiard cue, resting in the top notch of the bridge block, as usual; while at Fig. 3 I have shown, in side View, the cue supported, at a higher elevation by the turnedup metallic arm of the attachment deviceadjusted to its vertical position-and at Fig. 4 the one is shown resting on the concaved end-portion of the for wardly adjusted arm of the metallic device.

At Fig. 3 I have illustrated how the pool player can easily get at the cue-ball, when there happens to be located some pool ball intermediately of it and the forward side of the bridge block; while at Fig. 4 is illus trated how the player may reach and play the cue-ball when there are (in the way), between it and the bridge block, a plurality of pool balls.

In the several figures the same part will be found always designated by the same letter of reference.

A, is the bridge block and B, its handle, both made and combined in the usual manner. And I may remark, imprimc's, that my invention relates to an attachment-device designed for and adapted to be applied to, the ordinary billiard bridge already in use; though, of course, it may be equally well applied to such bridges in the course of their manufacture; to be supplied to billiard and pool table keepers.

My improved attachment device conslsts of the metallic parts shown, made and com bined into an operative organism, and adapted to be permanently combined, as such, with the usual bridge, preferably, in the manner in which I have shown it attached to the bridge; and to operate in conjunction therewith as I will now explain.

C, is a hub-like part, the tubular portion 6 of which surrounds that end portion of the bridge handle B which extends rearwardly from the block A; and the flangelike part cl, of which is securely fastened to the rear surface of the block B, in the case shown, by a series of wood screws 7. And on the tubular part c, is mounted, to turn freely thereon, the encircling tubular portion 9, (or the hub) of an arm H, which is adapted to be adjusted to, and to be impositively locked in, the, approximately, horizontal position seen at Fig. l, in a state of disuse; and which can be turned up into the vertical position seen at Fig. 3 for useas and for a purpose to be presently explained,and to be, impositively, locked also in this position, for use.

I, is an arm which, at its base, is pivotally attached, through the medium of its ear pieces, 1'; the similar, perforated, ears Z, of the arm H, and the pivotal rivets m m to the free end of arm H; which arm I, as shown, has its free end formed so that when the arm is adjusted to the position seen at Fig. at, it affords a proper rest on which the players cue may be supported, and by which it will be guided longitudinally in playing a stroke.

The means shown, for impositively locking the arm H, in each of its two positions (the one for disuse seen at Fig. 1, and the one for use seen in the other figures) consists of two circular indentures, or recesses r, and 8, formed in the flange-like portion (Z, of the part O; and a teat, or male member t, of the arm H, to engage said indentures (see particularly Fig. 5) when the said arm H is in either its vertical or horizontal position, in each of which the said teat or male member t of the locking mechanism, registers with' one of the said depressions or indentures '1', 3. And this teat t, it will be seen (which is preferably formed integral with the stock of the arm H) is part of an integral spring tongue o of the said arm that possesses sufficient resiliency to enforce an engagement of its teat t with either indenture 1", s with which the teat may come into register and hold the parts in engagement, or interlocked, against casual disengagement, while at the same time they can be disengaged, or unlocked by hand with the application of moderate muscular power, whenever the user of the bridge may desire to turn, or adjust the arm into either one of its two designed positions.

To avoid the possibility of the arm H getting vibrated below the normal position seen at Fig. l (by reason of the bridge being carelessly thrown down on the floor) I provide the stop '10, as shown. On the base endportion of the arm H are two spring catcharms, or lingers 0p (see Fig. that are preferably formed integrally and which, project out from the face of the arm, approximately at right angles, and Whenever the free end of the arm I shall be turned down into close proximity to arm I-l, as seen at Figs. 1, 2 and 3, these spring fingers will click or spring embracingly over the free end of arm I and lock it in the relative position to the arm H illustrated at Figs. 1, 2 and 3. But this means, for thus locking the arm I in such positions, .While it is quite capable of preventing any casual disengagement of the locked-together parts during either the use of the attachment in the position shown at Figs. 2 and 3, or during the shifting of the parts from this po sition to that in which they are shown at Fig. 1, readily permits the unlocking of the parts, by the application of a moderate amount of muscular power, whenever the player may desire to adjust the arm I from the position in which it is seen at Figs. 2 and 3, to that in which it is shown at Fig. 4;.

It will be seen that by the use of my invention the bridge is made capable of use by the player to effectually get at the cueball, when there are pool balls located on the table at a point or points intermediate of the cue-ball and that at which, alone, the bridge block can be placed on the playing surface of the table. And it will be readily understood by both maker and users of bridges that my improved bridge attachment meets all the requirements for the designed purposes of any such bridge attachment; is exceedingly simple; durable, and not liable to get out of order (during the rough usage to which bridges are usually subjected in pool rooms) while at the same time it can be very cheaply manufactured, and sold at small cost to the purchasing public.

Having now so fully described my inproved bridge attachment that those skilled in the art can readily make and use it, what I claim therein as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a bridge attachment of the type disclosed, the combination, with the hub-like device 0, which is adapted to encircle the bridge handle and to be permanently secured to the bridge block, of the arm H, having a hub-like member mounted, to turn, on the tubular part of the device O; and means for impositively locking said arm to the said device, in either a position of disuse, or in one in which the free end of said arm affords a higher rest for the cue than can be obtained on the bridge block; all substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. In a bridge attachment of the type disclosed, the combination, with the arm H, which moves in a plane parallel With that in which lies the brldge block, of an arm I,

pivotally connected to the free end of said 1 arm H, and which may be turned into a position to afiord an advanced rest for the cue, and also into a position of disuse; and means for impositively locking the said arm I to the arm H, in the latter position; all substantially as set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of January, 1910.

J. N. MoINTIRE.

In the presence of EDWARD F. BAYER, H. H. MOKANE.

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