US3180642A - Billiard table apron attachment - Google Patents

Description

April 27, 1965 R, G. REINEMAN 3,180,642

BILLIARD TABLE APRoN ATTACHMENT Filed March 16, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l f g, ff g o o f 1| e H i o "I 1| "I ff un m .wml il'h Il, l i'" effe ,l I I I4 lHill o HHM.. II 5 @q o @l )Q/ e QZ 2,4 v5 ,g ,je yf A@ FI|E-E I n jy jig l I 7 (47 J0 P-5 J0 April 27, 1965 R. G. REINEMAN BILLIARD TABLE APRON ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 16. 1962 United States Patent O 3,180,642 BILLIARD TABLE APRGN ATTACHMENT Richard G. Reineman, Balboa, Calif., assigner to Brunswick Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 1%,256 7 Claims. (Cl. 273-3) This invention relates to billiard tables, and more particularly to a mounting adapted for use in articles such as billiard tables or the like.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improved billiard table.

Another object is to provide a new and improved mounting.

A more specific object is provision of a new and improved article such as a billiard table or the like, with a top having outwardly extending peripheral side edge portions, and aprons mounted on these edge portions by means providing for pivotal movement of the aprons with respect to the table during installation and removal and for lifting the aprons into close proximity with the edge portions during installation. A related object is provision for releasably securing opposite ends of the aprons in close proximity with an adjacent apron end and holding the aprons mounted on the side edge portions of the top. l

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention in the form of a billiard table;

FIG. 2 is an elevational View of the billiard table;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 4 4 of FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line 5 5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, enlarged, inclined sectional view taken generally along the line 6 6 of FIG. 4;

, FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, enlarged vertical sectional view showing a portion of FIG. 3 with an apron installed on a l billiard table side rail; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 7, but with the apron in an intermediate position during installation on the rail.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings, and will be described in detail herein, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, and it should be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intendedto limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is, in brief, directed to a billiard table, and more particularly to a mounting adapted for use in an article such as a billiard table for mounting side aprons on side rails of the table. This mounting is illustrated in the form of a'tongue and groove assembly such that the aprons are pivoted toward the center of the table and lifted into close proximity with the rails during installation, to provide a neat finished appearance and to reinforce the rails. The aprons are secured together at adjacent ends to retain the aprons mounted on the side rails with the apron ends closely proximate each other to further enhance the neat finished appearance of the table. ln addition to imparting a neat nished appearance, the present mounting of this invention provides for easy removal of the aprons from the remainder of the table to facilitate cleaning and servicing.

,rasta Patented Apr. 2'?, 1955 "ice Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. l and 2, an article here in the form of a billiard table has spaced pedestals l@ supporting a frame lila and thereon a suitable top ll with side and end rails l2, hereinafter referred to as side rails, extending outwardly from the top. Suitable pockets 13 in the side rails and top extend downwardly from the top 11 and are suitably connected by ball track means (not shown) with ball compartments within a casing 14 defined by a portion of a side apron l5. Opposite the apron l5 is another side apron 16 and transverse to these aprons are opposed side aprons 17, only one being shown in FIG. 2.

With reference to FIG. 3, it will be seen that table frame llia supports suitable top slates 21 with rails l2 surmounted on the top and carrying suitable cushions 22. These rails extend outwardly from top ll to define outer edge portions of the table which carry the depending aprons, as 17.

In the illustrated embodiment one apron 15-17 is associated with each of the four side rails of the rectangular table, and these aprons are secured to respective rails by mountings 25.

Mountings 25 may be best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8 and comprise cooperating portions in the form of side rail brackets 26 on the edges of the side rails, and apron bracket 27 on apron panels 27a. Releasable interlocking means are provided by cooperating portions of these brackets in the form of a flange or tongue 28 on apron bracket 27 and a cooperating slot or groove 29 in rail bracket 26. In the illustrated embodiment the tongue and groove assembly of each mounting extends continuously substantially the entire length of the respective rail and apron. The tongue and groove assembly is of complementary arcuate cross-sectional configuration as shown in the drawings, such that when a tongue 28 is positioned at the opening of the cooperating groove 29 and pivoted inwardly toward the center of the table, the apron, as 17, is lifted slightly into close proximity with rail 12, and more particularly the lower edge of bracket 26, thereby effectively concealing from view the interlocking portions of mounting 25 and apron bracket 2'7 to provide a neat and finished appearance.

It should be noted that side rail brackets 27 have a generally flat horizontal undersurface 30 which abuts similar upper surfaces 3l of respective apron brackets 27 when the aprons are installed as shown in FIG. 7, so that the aprons reinforce the side rails and the side rails reinforce the aprons because of both the tongue and groove assembly and cooperating surfaces 30 and 3l. AS illustrated, both rail and apron brackets are detachably connected with their respective supports as by screws 32.

The aprons have opposite ends, and as may best be seen in FIG.6, these ends have edges closely proximate end edges of adjacent aprons, and in the illustrated embodiment the proximate edges abut each other when the aprons are installed. For example, in the illustrated embodiment apron 17 includes a fixed inner block 35 having a mitered end edge 3o abutting a similar mitered end edge 37 on an inner block 3% of side apron l5. Adjacent ends of the aprons define corners corresponding to corners of the table top, and these end edges are retained in abutting engagement by securing means, here in the form of inwardly extending lianges 4) and 4l of generally V-shaped brackets on inner faces of blocks 33 and 35, respectively, suitable fastener means such as a nut and bolt 42 extending through aligned openings in these brackets.V As may best be seen in FIG. 4, these openings are in the form of inverted L- shaped slots 43 and 44. These slots open through inner edges of respective flanges to facilitate easy assembly of the aprons since the bolt may be passed through te slot openings and edades-2 seated at the bottoms of depending slot legs as shown in n FIG. 4.

ner to the inner face ofthe bottom edge portion of theV apron panels and extending inwardly therefrom. These bottom panels are detachably secured, as by` nuts and bolts, to straps 49 spaced along and attached to frame 10a. The ends of panels 47 are secured to eachother in abutting relationship in any suitable manner, as by bolts Si) (FIG. 5) extending through aligned'apertures in adjacent inwardly extending flanges 51 of the plates 47.

ln installing an apron, tongue 28 is positioned irn-y mediately adjacent its cooperating groove 29, generally as shown in FIG. 8, and the apron is pivoted inwardly 42 may be inserted through the open ends of the flange , slotsY 43 and 44 and tightened toV releasably hold the aprons mounted on the rails with the rnitered edges, .as 36 and 37, of adjacent aprons, abutting to provide a neat nished appearance. if apron plates 47 are provided they are secured at their corners as shown in FIG. 5 and to the frame as shown in FIG. 3.

Iclaim:

1. ln a billiard tabie or the like, a generally rectangular table top having outwardly extending peripheral side rails, side aprons, one associated with each side rail, means comprising cooperating portions of respective rails and aprons releasably mounting and supporting the aprons in depending position on respective rails for reinforcing the rails, said means comprising tongue and groove releasable interlocking means `on cooperating rails and aprons, said interlocking means extending longitudinally substantially the entire length of the respective rail and being of cooperating arcuate cross-sectionai coniiguration for pivotal movement of the respective apron toward the center of the table during installation and away from the interlocked proximity to the rail during installation to substantially conceal said interlocking means andl provide a neat finished appearance, said aprons having opposite ends and adjacent apron ends deining corners, one corresponding to yeach corner of the table, said ends having niitered endedges each abutting the adjacent aprony end edge at the respective corner, and means effectively con-V cealed from the outer side of said aprons and at saidY corners releasably securing said aprons in rsaid interlocked relationship with respective rails, the last saidk .table during removal, and for lifting the apron into close means comprising adjacent liangesateach corner, one f e cooperating slots and retained in the last said slots,.for

holding adjacent apron end edges in abutting relationship. 2. The table of claim 1 wherein said aprons include generally upright panels, and said interlocking means on said aprons comprise vmembers `firmly and detachahly secured to the upperedge portionsv of said panels;

3. The table of claim 1 wherein said interlocking means is delined by a tongue on each'apron and a groove in each rail receiving said tongue ofthe respective apron.

4. The table of claim l wherein said Vcooperating portions of said railsand aprons are defined by brackets detachably secured to the rails and aprons.

5. The table of claim 1 wherein said cooperating portions ofsaid rails and aprons ,include .generally horizontal surfaces in abutting relationship for reinforcingsaid rails.

6. in a billiard tablefor the like, a table top, peripheral side rails on the top respectively overhanging the side edges of the top, side aprons respectively along Vsides or" the table, and means for securing and supporting the aprons'in depending positions relative to the rails respectively, comprising, alongitudinalv downwardly opening slot of arcuate transverse cross-section in the underside of each rail, each apron havinga longitudinal upwardly projecting, liiange at its upper edge of a cross-section complementary to the slot and closely receivable therein, whereby the flange may be inserted in the'associated slot and the apron pivoted toward the table to a position where the ange and slot are interlocked against relativervertical movement andthe apron is supported by the ange in the slot, and means for securing the adjacent aprons to each other at the ends thereof in position against pivotal movement and consequent loss ofsupport. n

7. in a billiard table or the like, .a supportingunderstructure, a table top on said supporting understructure having `peripheral, side krails respectively along the side edges of the top,side aprons respectivelyfalong vthe sides Vof the table, means for lsupporting each apron depending Y apron pivoted relative to thev table to a position where the tlange and slot are interlocked against relative vertical movement andthe vweight ofthe apron ist supported Vby the interlocked ilangeand siot, and means ,for interconrnecting a lower portion of each apron and said supporting understructure toietain the aprons'each in said position Vagainst pivotal'movement and consequentloss of support by said interlocked angesand slots. j

305,463 ldorse r V Sept. 23, 1884 1,928,824 Barce e Oct; 3, 1933 2,391,395 Debicki l Dec. 25 1945 2,639,443 VStrybelY May 26, 1953 2,650,657 Ohlsson 7 7 Sept; 1, 1953 2,786,556 Constance 'Mar.. 26, 1957 2,923,384Y Black.;V Feb.2,' 1960 3,043,407 Marryatt JulyV 10, 1962

Claims (1)

1. 7. IN A BILLIARD TABLE OR THE LIKE, A SUPPORTING UNDER STRUCTURE, A TABLE TOP ON SAID SUPPORTING UNDERSTRUCTURE HAVING PERIPHERAL SIDE RAILS RESPECTIVELY ALONG THE SIDE EDGES OF THE TOP, SIDE APRONS RESPECTIVELY ALONG THE SIDES OF THE TABLE, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING EACH APRON DEPENDING RELATIVE TO ITS ASSOCIATED RAIL, COMPRISING, A LONGITUDINAL SLOT OF ARCUATE TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION AND A LONGITUDINAL FLANGE OF ARCUATE CROSS SECTION COMPLEMENTARY TO THE SLOT AND CLOSELY RECEIVABLE THEREIN, ONE ON THE UNDER SIDE OF THE RAIL AND ONE ON THE UPPER EDGE OF THE APRON, WHEREBY THE FLANGE AND ASSOCIATED SLOT MAY BE INTERFITTED AND THE APRON PIVOTED RELATIVE TO THE TABLE TO A POSITION WHERE THE FLANGE AND SLOT ARE INTERLOCKED AGAINST RELATIVE VERTICAL MOVEMENT AND THE WEIGHT OF THE APRON IS SUPPORTED BY THE INTERLOCKING FLANGE AND SLOT, AND MEANS FOR INTERCONNECTING A LOWER PORTION OF EACH APRON AND SAID SUPPORTING UNDERSTRUCTURE TO RETAIN THE APRONS EACH IN SAID POSITION AGAINST PIVOTAL MOVEMENT AND CONSEQUENT LOSS OF SUPPORT BY SAID INTERLOCKED FLANGES AND SLOTS.

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