US1418075A - Ball rack - Google Patents

Description

E,' EDENSK00 BALL RACK.

I s A'PPLICATZION FILED APR.2Z, 1 91s. I 1A18f,075. v Patented May 30,1922 I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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E- HEDENSKOQG- BALL RACK. APPLCATIQN FILED APILZL 1918; I V 1 ,418,075, Patented May 30, 1922..-

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ERNEST HEDENSKOOG, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

BALL RACK.

eteors.

Specification of Letters Patent. PatqentQd l flay 30, 1922.

Application filed April 22, 1918. Serial No. 229,901.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ennns r HEDENSKOOG, a citizen of the United States, residing in Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ball Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to ball racks and has more particular reference to ball racks provided for use in connection with pocket billiard tables and the like.

Prior to my invention it has been frequently the custom in playing pocket billiards and other games of like character to remove the balls driven by the several players into the pockets of the pocket billiard table and place them in a rack formed of a plurality of horizontal shelves for the purpose of scoring, each player having a shelf and placing thereon the balls pocketed by him. The use of such a rack as this requires the balls to be lifted out singly and in twos and threes by an attendant or by the players and either carried to the table or deposited in a basket or other receptacle, which operation consumes considerable time and materially delays the play.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a practical and commercial ball rack from which the balls of the several players may be quickly and directly discharged into the basket or other receptacle for replacement on the table.

I am aware that numerous attempts have been made to construct racks which will automatically deliver the balls but these have proven impractical in use and to be the cause of considerable expense and annoyance. In some instances these racks have required that some of the balls fall considerable distances, ultimately damaging them and in others the arrangement has been such that a discharge of the balls has required the provision of such complicated and easily disarranged relatively moving parts that they were expensive and their periods of use short. Devices of this character are usually used in public billiard rooms where they are subject to rough usage, and considerable abuse, and to be of lasting benefit they must consist of few, simple and readily operated arts.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character from which accidental discharge of the balls will be prevented, and where desired to construct the parts of the structure so that any mere meddling will not be likely to result in release.

A still further and important object of the invention is the provision of a rack constructed and arranged to reduce to a minimum the opportunity for the collection of dust and dirt.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a ball rack having a quick acting discharge and permitting the ready individual removal of the balls as occasion may require.

Another object of the invention is the provision of av ball rack having a quick acting discharge which will not result in materially damaging the pocket billiard balls.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a rack which may be cheaply manufactured, readily operated by unskilled attendants, which will be of pleasing appearance and which will not occupy appreciably more than the space ordinarily allowed i'or such appliances.

Other objects and advantages of themvention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof.

On the drawing,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a ball rack embodying my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section. taken substanitally on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. dis a section taken on the line l-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section substantially on the line 55 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 6 is section taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. a

The embodiment of my invention shown on the drawing for the purposes of illustra tion consists of a casing providing for the reception of the balls in vertical columns, each having a lower end closed by movable support which may be retracted to permit the balls in the several columns to drop down into a basket placed just beneath. In order that the basket need not be of the and width of the rack, ways are provided to con duct the balls of the end columns centrally of the rack and into the basket. The columns have open fronts through which individual balls may be inserted and removed, the arrangement permitting any ball of any column to be separately taken out. The casing is preferably inclined slightly as may be seen from viewing Fig. 2,this is principally for the purpose of permitting the basket to be placed in accurate receiving position beneath the ends of the ball. column.

The support for the balls of the several columns in the present instance consists of a narrow movable shelf which is normally held beneath the columns by a spring and adapted to be pushed back out of the way by the pressing of a button extending through the front face of the casing. A lock is provided to prevent the movement of the shelf from beneath the columns except when a basket or other receptacle is in place to receive the balls. This lock is so arranged in the present instance that it is hidden from view and not likely therefore to-be operated by anyone casually attempting to manipulate the device.

The embodiment shown on the drawing will now be described in detail. The two side Walls 11 have an inclined front edge and a straight vertical rear edge, which rear edges are adapted to rest against the wall of a room when the device is in position for use. The bottom 12 in the present instance consists of a pair of front and rear vertical members 14 and 15 spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the balls to be received. The balls are received in the rack in vertical or gravity columns with one ball resting upon another and the. bottom ball supported as will be presently described. Guides or partitions 16 extend vertically from just above the bottom 12 to the top 13, said guides providing channels 17 in which the balls may be positioned. The guides 16 are fastened at their tops to a horizontal piece 18 extending between the sides 11 and forming a part of the top and are connected together at their bottoms by a brace 19 and also by being fastened to'the front wall 14 of the bottom.

The guides or partitions 16 are given a pejections 23 however, instead of being conballs are in place the largest diameter of the balls will be disposed behind appropriately located projections 23. To take a ball out through the front it is therefore only necessary to lift it until its largest diameter is opposite the interruptions or inwardly extending recesses 21 when it may be taken away. The guides thus provide confining partially arcuate channels in which the balls rest and provide also similar channels arranged at intervals and extending inwardly from the front into communication with the first mentioned channels to permit the balls to be removed. The arrangement of the balls in the channels is indicated in dotted lines at 26 in Figs- 2 and 3.

At the bottom a cross-support or bar 27 is slidably inserted at its ends 28 in grooves 29 extending horizontally in the inner faces of the sides 11 and located just beneath the bottom of the channels in which the gravity columns of balls may be positioned. This bar 27 is provided with a plurality of cushions or rubberbumpers 31 on which the bottommost ball of each gravity column may rest. 1

A. spring 82 embracing a push rod or button 33 secured to the bar 27 is provided. to hold the bar in normal position beneath the channels between the partitions 16. This spring is positioned between the bar and a plate 34: secured to the top of the rear wall 15 of the bottom, this wall being cut away at 35 to permit the rod 27 to pass through the plate 3 1 which forms a bearing for the rod. The rod 33 also has a slidable bearing at 36 through the front member 14 of the bottom and carries at its outer end a button 37 which may be pressed by the finger to push the rod and with it the bar 27 back overcoming the action of the springs to release the balls in the gravitycolumn and permit them to roll down into the basket or other receptacle as will be presently explained.

Where desired 1 provide a device for preventing the balls being released until or except at such times as] there is a basket or by the spring lO.

through which moves a leaf 4E2 pivoted at 43 on the rod 33 and is pulled to position W hen the handle of the basket is engaged over the hook it pushes the leaf from the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 5 to the position shown in dot-ted lines in the same figure. This leaf constitutes a lock, which when in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 engages a notch ea of a bar 45 as indicated in Fig. 6. The barlS is secured against the underside of the centers of the front and back members 14 and 15, which centers are cut away at 46 to receive the handle of the basket. The hook and basket move with the push rod and with the bar 27 and when the leaf 42 is in locking position it prevents this movement by engaging in the slot as, already described. The hook and lock are positioned beneath the cabinet or rack and are not easily accessible for hand manipulation therefore there is little tendency on the part of idle observers to toy with the rack when it contains the balls, insuring against an inadvertent release of the balls in the gravity columns when no receptacle is present.

It will be manifest that the hook 38, notched bar 45, leaf 42 and spring 40 may all be omitted if the safety device for preventing improper conscious manipulation be not desired. In this event other support may be provided for the basket or it may simply be held in position by the hand of the operator.

The balls move directly out of the columns and down between the bottom members 14 and 15 and into the basket. the rack may be wider than the basket suitable deflecting blocks or inclined channel forming walls l7 are provided at the ends of the space or channel formed between the walls 14 and 15. The position of the partition 16 is best shown in Fig. 2 from which it will be noted that they are inclined. somewhat. This inclination permits the ballsto roll slightly in moving out of the channels and prevents any tendency to pass out through the recesses 24 when the balls are released.

It will be manifest that in a construction of the character described substantially no o iiportunity is offered for the accumulation of dust and dirt in the channels for receiving the balls, obviating the necessity of brushing out parts of the apparatus and minimizing the soiling of the balls and hands of the players in use.

The center partition. i. e.. the one located above the handle of the basket when the basket is positioned, is wider than the others to space the channels or columns apart at this point in order that the balls may not in falling hit the handle and bounce or fall out of the basket. The inner surface of the channel or passage beneath the gravity col- In order that umns is preferably covered with a layer of felt or cushion material and it will be manifest that the basket, being held in close prox: imity with all the channels permits the balls to fall therein.

t will be manifest that the balls arranged in gravity columns above the basket drop substantially together and in paths individualized to the several columns when the support is removed.

In order that the push rod 37 may not be actuated by a person leaning against 'it or the butt of a cue striking it in the playing upon the billiard or pocket billiard table, I provide a guard or safety device consisting of, in the present instance, a pair-of blocks 51 fastened on the outer face of the vertical member lt and extending out upon opposite sides of the outwardly extending 0rtion of the push rod to a distance equa to or greater than the length of this outwardly extending portion. This guard is particularly desirable where the hook 38 and leaf t2 and co-operating parts are omitted since in that event it acts to prevent inadvertent release of the balls and where such parts are provided it insures against damage to the operating members. I

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendantadvantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: I

1. A ball rack, comprising a casing providing a plurality of channels in which the balls may repose, a discharging device, a support for a receptacle beneath said device and means comprising a notched locking bar and a pivoted member normally engaged in the notch of said bar and removable therefrom by positioning the receptacle on said support for preventing the operation of said discharging device until arrangement is made for the disposition of the discharged balls.

2. A ball rack, comprising a casing providing a plurality of channels in which the balls may repose, a discharging device, a support for a receptacle beneath said device, and locking means releasable by the receptacle when placed on said support for preventing the release of said discharging device when no receptacle is in position to receive the discharged balls.

3. A ball rack, comprising a casing providing a plurality of ball receiving channels, a support for a basket or other receptacle for receiving the balls from said channel, and means releasable by the basket or other receptacle on said support for producing a discharge of the balls of said channels into said basket or receptacle.

4. A ball rack, comprising a casing providing a plurality of ball receiving channels,

a support :for a basket or other receptacle for receiving the balls from said channel, a

latch releasable by the basket or other reviding a plurality of channels in which the balls may repose, a discharging device, means locking the discharging device out of action, a receptacle support, said locking means being released by a basket or other receptacle for receivingthe balls when the same is placed on said support to permit operation of said discharging device.

7. A ball rack, comprising a plurality of channels for receiving the balls and arranged in gravity columns, a hook therebeneath adapted to support the handle of a basket and locking means releasable by engagement of the basket handle with said hook to provide for the discharge of the balls into saidbasket.

Signed in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST HEDENSKOOG. Witnesses:

THos. J. OBRIEN, ETHEL W001).

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