Billiard table
阅读说明:本技术 台球桌 (Billiard table ) 是由 A·贝雷斯福德-威廉斯 于 2019-03-08 设计创作,主要内容包括:台球桌,其可以带可拆卸餐用台面台球桌,在横向上/侧向上安置于台球桌的端腿之间具有重力作用球返回系统。在球桌的打台球桌面上打台球时入袋的球共同收集于倾斜的两个沟道中的一个中,这两个倾斜沟道将多个袋口连接在一起。沟道处于球桌的外围,并且直接位于袋口的下面。球返回系统包含堆叠排列的导板,该导板从位于每个沟道的端部处的梯级落口接收入袋球。进入堆叠后,球分离装置识别并且选择性地使主球与目标球分离,将主球向下导向自由返回盒,而沿着不同的向下通路引导目标球。然后,使目标球保持于球保持与释放机构后面,该球保持与释放机构当处于释放位置时使全部目标球传递到捡球槽,该捡球槽与自由返回盒共处于台球桌的端部。(Billiard tables, which may be of the detachable dining table type, have a gravity action ball return system disposed laterally/laterally between the end legs of the billiard table. When billiards are played on the billiard table surface of the billiard table, the balls entering the bag are collected together in one of two inclined channels which connect the bag openings together. The channel is located on the periphery of the table and is located directly below the mouth of the bag. The ball return system includes a stacked arrangement of guide plates that receive the pocket balls from the step drop openings at the end of each channel. Upon entering the stack, the ball separation device identifies and selectively separates the main ball from the target ball, directing the main ball downward toward the free return bin, while directing the target ball along a different downward path. The target ball is then retained behind a ball retention and release mechanism which, when in the release position, causes all of the target ball to pass to a ball pick up slot at the end of the billiard table in common with the free return pocket.)
1. A billiard table having a first end and a second end and a connecting edge connecting the first end to the second end, the billiard table comprising:
a deck (14) having 6 pockets cut into the deck (14), one of the 6 pockets located at each of at least 4 corners, the 4 corners defined at an intersection between a connecting edge and one of the first and second ends;
a ball collection layer (102), the ball collection layer (102) being located below the playing surface (14), the ball collection layer comprising:
at least one downwardly sloping rim channel (112), said at least one downwardly sloping rim channel (112) interconnecting a plurality of pockets, said at least one rim channel being positioned below the plurality of pockets so as to collect, in use, balls (36) falling into said pockets;
a step fall opening (130), the step fall opening (130) being located at a lowermost end of the at least one inclined peripheral channel (112), the step fall opening (130) being closest to one of the first and second ends;
a ball separation, ball collection and ball dispensing subsystem (150), said ball separation, ball collection and ball dispensing subsystem (150) located at one of said first end and said second end, said ball separation, ball collection and ball dispensing subsystem (150) having:
at least one entry point located below the step fall opening (130);
a stacked arrangement of a plurality of downwardly inclined guide plates (180, 182, 190, 192), wherein a first of the guide plates is located below the at least one entry point and wherein one guide plate is stacked on top of the other guide plate forming a zig-zag path;
a ball separating device arranged to distinguish a main ball from a target ball, the ball separating device being configured to carry the main ball along a first path in the stack to a free return box (113) and the target ball (36) along a second path in the stack to a ball pick up slot (117), wherein the free return box and the ball pick up slot (117) are accessible at only one of the first and second ends of the table.
2. A billiard table according to claim 1, further including:
a ball retention and release mechanism (174), the ball retention and release mechanism (174) cooperating with the ball separation, ball collection and ball dispensing subsystem, the ball retention and release mechanism (174) disposed in the second passageway, and wherein the ball retention and release mechanism (174) is arranged to selectively retain a target ball behind a partition, thereby preventing a retained ball from being accessible from the ball pick up slot (117) prior to release of the partition.
3. A billiard table according to claim 2, further including a payout device (116), the payout device (116) being arranged to accept a per-pass fee, the payout device being operatively coupled to the ball retention and release mechanism (174), and wherein upon receipt of payment by the payout device (115), the partition opens, thereby releasing the retained target ball into the ball pick up slot (117).
4. A billiard table according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the ball collection layer includes two rim channels that are mirror images of each other along a major longitudinal axis (107) of the billiard table (100).
5. A billiard table according to any preceding claim, wherein the billiard table is a dinable billiard table including at least one flat dining table surface removably located on the playing surface (14).
6. A billiard table according to any preceding claim, wherein the ball separating, collecting and dispensing subsystem (150) is disposed between a pair of legs located at the corners of the short sides of the billiard table.
7. A billiard table according to any preceding claim, wherein the first path is different from the second path, and the free return pocket is physically distinct from the ball pick up slot.
8. A billiard table according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one peripheral channel includes a plurality of rows of holes (122).
9. A billiard table according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one peripheral channel includes a sloped ball deflecting plate (120), the sloped ball deflecting plate (120) being sloped inwardly from the periphery of the table (100) towards the central axis (107) of the table.
10. A billiard table according to any preceding claim, wherein the inclined peripheral channel includes a channel (123).
11. A billiard table according to claim 4, wherein each of the two rim channels is straight and collectively joins together two corner pockets and an intermediate pocket located intermediate the two corner pockets.
Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to billiard tables and is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable to dining billiard tables (pool dining tables) having built-in ball return and ball separation mechanisms to support pay-for-play.
Background
Billiards is a game played on a rectangular flat table in which a total of 6 pockets are laid out, one pocket being provided at each of the four corners of the table and two pockets being provided at the center of the major/long side opposing sides of the table. The resilient side cushiony edge (cushion) along the periphery of the table defines a curved edge leading to the pocket mouth, and is further designed to allow billiards (whether main/white balls or target color balls to be struck by the main ball) to bounce (fold back) from the cushiony edge during play. To ensure smooth ball rolling, the surface of the billiard table is preferably a flat stone "table top" with high precision tolerances, but other dimensionally stable non-warping materials (such as MDF) could be used as the table top.
Then, the [ slate ] table top is covered with a table cloth such as fine short fluffs.
As expected, standard size billiard tables (whether 8 feet in american or 7 feet in english or some other size) have or at least can have a significant weight. Once in position and leveled, which is often time consuming and not easily done, it is obviously preferable not to move the billiard table. The table top leveling can adopt two modes: using floor leveling (course leveling) of height adjustable feet and/or pushing internal fine adjustment of shims or wedges between the bottom surface of the table top and the support frame and pillow upon which the table top sits.
Thus, billiard tables have evolved that can be used in addition to dining tables, thus making it easier to accommodate billiard tables in homes and bars or clubs, thereby utilizing limited space, and/or playing billiards as a social event by optimizing revenue streams at different times of the day, for example, at dining times, at bar restaurants, or when dining times have passed.
The dining billiard table has two forms:
first, there are reversible/rotatable billiard tables in which the entire table surface can be rotated about a central (usually primary) axis and then locked in place. The rotation reveals a flat dining table top that is closely aligned in the horizontal plane with the side dams of the billiard table, thereby providing a flat table top, or a billiard table with drop pockets into which balls are struck. In this system, there is no ball return mechanism and therefore no pay-per-view mechanism can be installed, as the ball is always available through the access drop pocket. Such a swivelable system must be handled carefully because rotation of the table can create a "gap" between the side guards and the table that can cut a finger if sandwiched in the gap. It is therefore important to securely lock such a revolvable/rotatable table in public spaces, because of this potential risk and the associated public liability.
A second type of dining billiard table includes an auxiliary table surface disposed above the table and supported on the upper level of the side guards. Typically, the secondary surface is made of two or three flat wooden plates interlocked together with laterally extending pins and associated aligned pin slots. The lower surface of the panels may include downwardly projecting couplers disposed proximate the side edges of the billiard table to provide keying elements that prevent movement, e.g., skewing, of the assembled table top.
The dining billiard table must also have sufficient legroom under the table to allow a person to sit at the table (in the case of a chair or sheet seat when it is used as a dining table). Typically, the "legroom" from the floor to the lower surface is about 60cm, which provides sufficient clearance for a person sitting in the chair (the seat to floor height distance is typically about 40 cm). Conventional ball return mechanisms in pay-per-view tables are not suitable for this legroom requirement because they collect, hold, and ultimately return the billiards in the bag by falling under gravity, and the depth of this "box" system is large (i.e., in the region 42cm above the uppermost level of the table's side guards). Thus, the total depth of the dining billiard table must be shallow, while bucket-type drop pockets are used, and thus, all of the pockets are available continuously and directly (from a simple reach-in retrieval process).
With regard to "coin" systems which require payment on a pay-per-view basis (whether by coin-in or electronic transfer), these systems have a suitably shaped and perforated slate table that sits on a central cross member and a transverse cross member secured within the sides of the chest. An inclined generally U-shaped channel located below the mouth of the bag serves as a channel for guiding the balls in the bag into a central collection box located centrally below the table top, wherein the central collection box itself contains at least one ramp extending from the end to the middle of the table. This tilt ensures that the ball rolls to the step channel and lane, which are configured to move the ball downward (relative to the playing surface) and then, finally, to one side of the table, for reliable ball retention, or, for the main ball, to one end of the table.
Note that the step channel contains a ball separating mechanism that operates to distinguish the primary balls from the target pool balls. The ball separating mechanism takes one of two common forms depending on whether the billiard table is a "snooker" table or an "american" table. For english table the main ball is slightly smaller than the colour ball, and this difference in size allows the main ball to be filtered by a string of appropriately sized holes in the base of the stepped passageway, thereby separating the main ball and, therefore, passing it to a free return box at one end of the table. For american tables, all balls are the same size, but the main ball contains an internal magnet or other internal identification device that interacts with the control door to open or close the control door at the appropriate time, so that only the main ball is instead directed to the free return box.
For color balls, the color balls are collected in an inner (usually side transparent) pool that extends along the edge of the billiard table and parallel to the main axis of the billiard table. After being driven into the bag, the balls to be obtained are restrained by a mechanically or electrically operated telescopic rod located at the lowermost end of the ball pool. When the rod is extended, the ball is securely held behind the rod on the inclined ramp surface of the ball pool. When the telescoping rod is retracted for a period of time after the billiard table has received payment, the gravity feed system causes the color balls to roll downward (beyond the now retracted rod) and eventually collect in the ball pick up slot, which is typically disposed at the opposite end of the table from the free return box (for the main ball). The telescoping pole is then repositioned to its extended position to allow the paintballs in the pocket to be subsequently collected in the pool while the game now being played is being played and paintballs are being entered into the pocket.
A further dining pool table design is the Montfort Lancaster. In this system, the table is shallow and all the balls (whether the color or main balls) are collected centrally in a single collection box under the table. The steel frame simply guides all the balls from the pocket into the pocket. The collection box contains two symmetrical S-shaped channels that allow the ball hit into the pocket to be contained within the S-shaped curve, which also serves to slow the ball as it rolls into the box. The collecting box is hinged so that it can be housed within the volume of the table when not in use. However, the position of the collecting box is not easily reached, and therefore, the ball is difficult to take out.
An explanation of the construction of billiard tables and in particular of dinable billiard tables can be found in: https:// www.homeleisuredirect.com/pool _ tables/distribution-services/lives-the-difference-between-a-pool-table-and-pool-linking-table.
Disclosure of Invention
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a billiard table having a first end and a second end and a connecting edge connecting the first end to the second end, the billiard table comprising: a table top having 6 pockets cut therein, one of the 6 pockets located at each of at least 4 corners, the 4 corners defined at an intersection between a connecting edge and one of a first end and a second end; a ball collection layer located below the playing surface, the ball collection layer comprising: at least one downwardly sloping rim channel interconnecting the plurality of pockets, the at least one rim channel being positioned below the plurality of pockets to collect, in use, balls falling into the pockets; a step fall opening at a lowermost end of the at least one inclined peripheral channel, the step fall opening being closest to one of the first and second ends; a ball separating, collecting and dispensing subsystem at one of said first end and said second end, the ball separating, collecting and dispensing subsystem having: at least one entry point located below the landing; a stacked arrangement of a plurality of downwardly inclined guide plates, wherein a first of said guide plates is located below at least one entry point, and wherein stacking one guide plate on top of another guide plate forms a zig-zag path; a ball separating device arranged to distinguish a main ball from a target ball, the ball separating device being configured to deliver the main ball to the free return box along a first path in the stack and to deliver the target ball to the ball pick up slot along a second path in the stack, wherein the free return box and the ball pick up slot are accessible at only one of the first and second ends of the ball table.
In an embodiment, a ball retention and release mechanism is associated with the ball separation, ball collection and ball dispensing subsystem, the ball retention and release mechanism disposed in the second passageway, and wherein the ball retention and release mechanism is arranged to selectively retain a target ball behind a partition to prevent a retained ball from being accessible from the ball pick up slot prior to release of the partition.
A payout device may be arranged to accept each fee, the payout device being operatively coupled to the ball retention and release mechanism, and wherein upon receipt of payment by the payout device, the partition opens to release the retained target ball into the ball pick up slot.
Typically, the ball collection layer comprises two rim channels that are mirror images of each other along the primary longitudinal axis of the billiard table.
Preferably, the ball separating, collecting and dispensing subsystems are disposed between a pair of legs located at the corners of the short sides of the billiard table (which may be a dining billiard table).
Preferably, the first path is different from the second path such that the free return magazine is physically distinct from the ball pick up slot.
The peripheral channel may further comprise an inclined ball deflection plate that is inclined inwardly from the periphery of the table toward the central axis of the table.
Advantageously, the preferred embodiments can produce a less bulky dining billiard table that can accommodate the under-table seating and also support a ball return function that can distinguish the primary ball from the target color ball in a manner that securely captures and retains the target color ball, thereby allowing pay-per-view while the primary ball is freely available. Advantageously, the gravity-based system facilitates the availability of the primary and target balls at a reasonable height within the surface of the billiard table.
The single ended ball separation, ball collection and ball dispensing subsystem employs a gravity action system that is guided to the end-stacked lanes by respective continuous edge channels that interconnect multiple pockets in a subset of the total pockets. This configuration eliminates the need for a central collection and allows the billiard table to have sufficient space below the seat of the chair.
The billiard table (or other ball game table) may be a dining billiard table with a removable dining table top having a gravity-action ball return system disposed laterally/laterally between the end legs of the billiard table. When playing billiards on the billiard table surface of the billiard table, the balls entering the pockets are collectively collected in one of two inclined channels that connect the pockets together. The channels are located on the periphery of the table and are located directly below the pocket openings, which are preferably located on either side of the longitudinal central axis of the table. The ball return system includes a stacked arrangement of guide plates that receive the pocket balls from the step drop openings at the end of each channel. Upon entering the stack, the ball separation device identifies and selectively separates the main ball from the target ball, the main ball being directed downwardly toward the free return bin, while the target ball is directed along a different downward path. The target ball is then retained behind a ball retention and release mechanism which, when in the release position, causes all of the target ball to pass to a ball pick up slot at the end of the billiard table in common with the free return pocket. Thus, it is advantageous to minimize the depth of the billiard table, while maximizing the space under the billiard table surface to accommodate the seats.
Drawings
Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation showing a pay-per-view box dining pool table containing a portion of the table top;
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a ball return mechanism and a table top support within the pay-per-view pool table of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a billiard table in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a preferred ball collection layer of the billiard table shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the ball separation, ball collection and ball dispensing subsystem of the billiard table of FIG. 3, preferably falling under the force of gravity; and
FIG. 6 is an end view of the gravity-dropped ball separation, ball collection and ball dispensing subsystem of FIG. 5 showing the opposing channel ramps.
Detailed Description
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation showing a prior art pay-per-view box-type dining billiard table 10 including a portion of a
Conventionally, and as is well known, a billiard table 10 includes a mechanically stable platform surface 14 (typically a slate or the like) covered by a bridge 16. The side guards 18-20 define upright pool edges for the billiard table 10, and these side guards 18-20 and the playing
The housing 22 contains a ball return system, which will be described below in connection with fig. 2. In this regard, the box shows a ball pick up slot 32 at a first end of the billiard table 10 and a
Turning to fig. 2, fig. 2 shows a diagrammatic representation of the internal ball return mechanism and table top support within the pay-per-view box table billiard table shown in fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a partial view showing about half of the entire billiard table. The table 14 is not present in fig. 2, otherwise it would be located on the
It can be noted in fig. 2 that a closed-
The floor of the
The
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a billiard table 100 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Descriptions of the playing surfaces, e.g., side dams, library edges, bag mouth locations, and general construction are similar to the prior art and, therefore, will not be discussed in detail. However, as shown in FIG. 3, the table 100 includes a deck covering the playing
However, as shown in fig. 3-6, the novel ball collection layer and gravity-dropped ball separation, ball collection and ball dispensing subsystem means that the present invention enables a shallower ball table (having an approximate depth of between about 12cm and 18 cm) to be achieved, and in addition, a system such as that based on gravity can also incorporate features that effectively return balls to one end of the billiard table, with a beveled feed channel at the edge (in the layer below the table surface of the table) connecting multiple pockets together to deliver balls along the path of the side edge of the table to the ball separation, ball collection and ball dispensing subsystem. The system of the present invention thus allows for a less bulky dining pool table solution that can support pay-per-view. In a preferred embodiment, there is no central collection box for the balls. Rather, the channels interconnecting the pockets along the major (longest) edge of the dining billiard table 100 serve to allow any pocketed balls to roll along and under the side edges of the billiard table (relative to the central axis 107). The length of each channel allows the ball to gain reasonable velocity and momentum (and therefore not stall in the channel) and then fall into one of the intermediate pockets, for example.
Turning to fig. 4, fig. 4 shows an exploded view of a preferred
Assuming for ease of explanation that the dinable billiard table is conventionally shaped as a rectangle (rather than another regular polygon having at least 6 sides and an even number of sides), the
Preferably, each
Preferably, the shape and edge location of each of the two channels is mirror symmetric with respect to the primary
The channels in the
Pockets (into which the ball is dropped/loaded when playing the ball) are cut into the table at the corners and at a central location along the major
More generally, the playing surface of the table will be supported on a steel frame that sits/is mechanically coupled to the legs (either directly or indirectly through other support structures of the table such as side guards). The securing of playing surfaces to table tops is well known in the art and does not affect the principle of single ended ball return systems.
The side guards extend above the
Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the preferred gravity-dropped ball separation, collection and dispensing
Preferably, the single ended ball separating, ball collecting and
The
Fig. 6 shows the passage of the
When a ball, whether a
Unless specific arrangements are mutually exclusive, the various embodiments described herein can be combined to enhance system functionality and/or produce complementary functionality in the construction of a billiard table. These combinations will be readily understood by those having knowledge of all of the above descriptions. Also, the solution of the preferred embodiment may be implemented in an independent layout, in which more limited and thus more specific component functionality is provided within each interconnected and thus interacting system component, although all in all they together support, implement and produce the described real world effect(s). Indeed, it should be understood that unless it is explicitly stated that features of certain preferred embodiments are mutually incompatible or the context implies that they are mutually exclusive and are not readily combinable in a complementary and supportive sense, the entire disclosure contemplates and envisages that certain features of these complementary embodiments can be selectively combinable to provide one or more comprehensive yet slightly different technical solutions.
It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing description is given by way of example only and that modifications in detail may be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, the single-ended return mechanism can be used with other shapes of billiard tables, such as a regular hexagon or a regular octagon. Further, although the ball return mechanisms are described in the context of dining billiard tables, the ball return mechanisms can generally be utilized independently to reduce the overall weight of billiard tables including pay-per-view commercial slate-top billiard tables. Also, the present invention is not limited to billiard games, but may be applied to other billiard games such as snooker.
Further, while the preferred embodiment has two symmetrical channels, each interconnecting a plurality of pockets and extending directly under the pockets at the edge of the table, it is possible that a single interconnecting rim channel would connect all of the pockets or that two rim channels could be non-mirror-image opposed with respect to the table's major radius (major access) 107. The compromise in longer channels involves a vertical drop achieved between the highest point of the channel slope and the point at the step exit. In the case of "draught" shallow, the ball speed and ball momentum are relatively slow and small, so if the table depth is not increased to accommodate a sufficiently large end-to-end slope (typically in the range of about 1 to 3 degrees based on a table depth of about 14cm), the transfer of the ball to the single ended ball separation, ball collection and
Although a preferred embodiment with 4 legs is described, this requirement is not necessary. The center leg is a design option. However, in this example, the ball separation, ball collection and ball dispensing subsystems are still located at one end of the table (or the small side relative to the longer major side).
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