Abstract:
A recreational amusement includes a shuffleboard accessory utilized on and in connection with a billiard table to provide a table-type shuffleboard game. At least one rail cushion of an otherwise conventional billiard table is utilized to form a rebounding cushion for use in play of the shuffleboard game. Protective sheets or a rigid tray may be variously included for protecting materials forming the billiard table.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This present application claims all available benefit, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to co-pending U.S. Provisional Pat. App. Ser. No. 61/338,746 filed Feb. 23, 2010. By this reference, the full disclosure, including the drawings, of U.S. Provisional Pat. App. Ser. No. 61/338,746 is incorporated herein as though now set forth in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to recreation. More particularly, the invention relates to recreational amusement specifically adapted to make use of the existing structures of a billiards-type table for the provision and play of a shuffleboard game. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Billiards-type table games date to at least as early as the court of King Louis XI of 
         [0004]    France when the King simply had a section of lawn brought indoors and placed on a large, otherwise everyday table. Soon after, as the popularity of cue sports increased, cloth-covered tables specifically manufactured for billiards-type games were developed comprising wooden beds bounded by rails lined with cloth covered cushions of straw or felt. By the nineteenth century, high quality billiards-type tables with cloth covered slate beds and vulcanized rubber cushions were available, giving early rise to the specialty billiards industry much as it exists still today with custom manufacturers producing high quality made-to-order tables alongside large manufacturers producing tables in mass. 
         [0005]    As with any popular recreational activity, the early game of billiards has evolved into a wide variety of cue sports, including among others the games of pool and snooker, which utilize pockets arranged for collecting balls during play—resulting in pool sometimes being referred to as pocket billiards, and carom billiards, which include games played on tables without pockets. In addition to the differences with respect to pockets, it is also noted that tables manufactured for particular use with each of these various games will often differ in dimension, variations in dimension likewise being common even as between tables for one game. For example, it is commonplace that pool tables, while generally always being proportioned in a 2:1 rectangular shape, may be found in lengths of nine, seven or even five feet. As used herein, however, the term “billiard table” is expressly defined as meaning all tables for the play of billiards-type games, specifically including billiards, pool, snooker and all manner of carom billiards, a “billiard table,” as such term is used herein, being characterized as a table with a top surface comprising a substantially flat bed bounded by elastic cushions affixed to the inner sides of rails provided about the perimeter of the bed. 
         [0006]    While billiard tables may take any of a wide variety of sizes and shapes, at least two constants generally prevail. First, acquisition of a quality billiard table generally requires a significant financial investment. Second, the acquisition of a billiard table requires a significant allocation of space in order to not only house the table, but also to allow appropriate room about the table for comfortable play of the game. Furthermore, because a billiard table of any reasonable quality is generally quite heavy in weight, it is generally impractical to move the table from the edge of a room to the center just for play. Even were this not the case, however, it is noted that because the play of billiards-type games generally requires a very level playing surface, any such movement would also necessitate leveling of the table once in place, an activity sure to dampen the pleasure of use. As a result, the required allocation of space, made upon substantial financial investment, is generally to the longstanding, if not permanent, exclusion of other recreational amusements as may otherwise have been had. 
         [0007]    One such recreational amusement, the acquisition of which is often precluded by the prior purchase and placement of a billiard table, is a shuffleboard table. Often as expensive as a quality billiard table, a typical traditional shuffleboard table measures nearly two feet wide and ranges anywhere from nine to 22 feet in length. To be sure, the size requirement for a shuffleboard table is so great that a variant of the game has recently become popular in which a puck is launched across the table&#39;s surface from a first end and rebounded from an elastic curb fitted to the opposite, second end in an attempt to return to puck to the scoring area in the first end. While this manner of modified play reduces the length of the shuffleboard table, it generally also requires a widening of the table. As a result, even the modified shuffleboard table generally requires about the same amount of space as does a billiard table and, like and for the same reasons as with a billiard table, is also preferably permanently placed. 
         [0008]    With the foregoing limitations of the prior art clearly in mind, it is an overriding object of the present invention to improve over the prior art by providing a method and apparatus by which the required investment of financial capital and allocation of space for the acquisition of a billiard table may be further recouped by enabling the billiard table to be utilized for the play of a non-billiards type game. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to improve over the prior art by providing a shuffleboard accessory for use with a billiard table such that in combination with the existing features of the billiard table the shuffleboard accessory produces a recreational amusement adapted for the play of a table shuffleboard game. 
         [0009]    Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a method and apparatus as also may include features for the protection of the billiard table in connection with which the shuffleboard accessory is utilized. Still further, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a method and apparatus that is reasonably compactly and therefor readily storable such that the shuffleboard accessory may be acquired and utilized notwithstanding that substantial space may already have been allocated to the placement of a billiard table. Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a method and apparatus as also is economical to manufacture, thereby ensuring that the shuffleboard accessory is made as widely available as is possible. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    In accordance with the foregoing objects, the present invention—a recreational amusement—generally comprises a shuffleboard accessory adapted for and utilized on and in connection with a billiard table to provide a table-type shuffleboard game. In implementing the recreational amusement of the present invention, at least one rail cushion of an otherwise conventional billiard table is utilized to form a rebounding cushion for use in play of the shuffleboard game. Various other elements, ranging from protective sheets to a rigid tray, may be included for protecting the relatively delicate materials forming the billiard table. 
         [0011]    Finally, many other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts, especially in light of the foregoing discussions and the following drawings, exemplary detailed description and appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    Although the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, a detailed description of the preferred embodiment follows together with illustrative figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like components, and wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  shows, in a perspective view, a first embodiment of the recreational amusement of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  shows, in a perspective view, a second embodiment of the recreational amusement of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2A  shows, in the perspective view of  FIG. 2 , the recreational amusement of 
           [0016]      FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 2A  also, however, including representation of additional otherwise hidden detail; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  shows, in a perspective view, a third embodiment of the recreational amusement of the present invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 3A  shows, in the perspective view of  FIG. 3 , an extension of the invention of the recreational amusement of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0019]    Although those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize many alternative embodiments, especially in light of the illustrations provided herein, this detailed description is exemplary of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the scope of which is limited only by the claims appended hereto. 
         [0020]    Referring now to the figures, the recreational amusement  10  of the present invention is shown to generally comprise a shuffleboard accessory  20  adapted for utilization in connection with a billiard table  11  and a billiard table  11 , the integral combination providing a table-type shuffleboard game. As shown in the figures, and in  FIGS. 1 and 3  in particular, the billiard table  11  conventionally comprises a table top  12  resting upon a base  18  supported upon a plurality of legs  19 . As is conventional, the table top  12  of the billiard table  11  comprises a substantially flat bed  13 , which is typically manufactured of a structurally stable material such as, for example, a slab of slate and is typically covered with a sheet of high quality worsted wool or the like. While the billiard table  11  as contemplated in the present invention may or may not comprise pockets  17  depending on the particular game for which the table  11  is primarily intended, the billiard table  11  will be characterized as comprising a plurality of rails  14  provided about and bounding the perimeter of the bed  11 , the rails being interiorly provided with elastic cushions  15  conventionally manufactured from vulcanized rubber or a synthetic equivalent thereof, which cushions  15  typically comprise a nose  16  for the deflection of impacting balls during play of the billiards-type game. In any case, as is conventional, the provided cushions  15 , including their nose sections  16 , are like the bed  13  of the table  11  also covered with sheets of high quality worsted wool or the like. 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a first embodiment of the recreational amusement  10  of the present invention is shown to comprise a shuffleboard accessory formed by providing a relatively thin slab  21  having a substantially planar top surface  22 , the slab being sized such that when resting atop the bed  13  of a billiard table  11  the top surface  22  is positioned slightly beneath the nose  16  of the cushions  15 . In this manner, as shown in the figures, the distal end  25  of the slab  21  forming the shuffleboard accessory  20  may be positioned adjacent a linear section of cushion  15  of the supporting table  11  such that the cushion  15  as primarily provided for the play of a billiards-type game forms a cushion for the play of a shuffleboard game. In particular, with the shuffleboard accessory  20  arranged as shown in  FIG. 1 , the resulting shuffleboard game is played by launching a puck (not shown, but well known to those of ordinary skill in the art) from the proximal end  26  of the slab  21 . The launched puck then glides across the top surface  22  of the slab  21 , striking the cushion  15  adjacent the distal end  25  and rebounding toward the scoring area  27  formed about the proximal end  26  of the top surface  22  of the slab  21 . As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, a player accumulates points based upon how close to the proximal end  26  the puck lands without sliding into one of the gutters  39 , which gutters  39  are in the first embodiment cooperatively formed between the gutter edge of the slab  21  (which is, cumulatively, the edges about the top surface  22  of the slab  21  running from the first end of the distal edge  25  to the second end of the distal edge  25 ) and the rails  14  of the billiard table. 
         [0022]    As is otherwise conventional in the manufacture of table-type shuffleboard games, the slab  21  forming the shuffleboard accessory  20  is preferably constructed from a wood laminate, which laminate is generously coated with polyurethane or the like. In order to facilitate the free gliding of a puck over the top surface  22  of the slab  21 , the slab  21  will generally be sprinkled liberally with tiny, sand-like beads of silicone, often referred to as shuffleboard wax, shuffleboard sand or shuffleboard cheese. Although this application is highly effective in decreasing friction between the top surface  21  of the shuffleboard accessory  20  and a puck gliding thereon, the application is potentially detrimental to the covering applied over the bed  13  of the billiard table  11 . As a result, in a second embodiment of the present invention, as particularly shown in  FIGS. 2 and 2A , the recreational amusement  10  further comprises a protective sheet  30  interposed the billiard table  11  and the shuffleboard accessory  20 . The sheet  30 , which preferably comprises vinyl, protects the coverings about the bed  13  and cushions  15  of the billiard table (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) while nonetheless enabling sufficient impact between the gliding puck and the cushion  15  adjacent the distal end  25  of the shuffleboard accessory  20  (as shown in  FIG. 2A ) that uninhibited play of the shuffleboard game is maintained. 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a third embodiment of the recreational amusement  10  of the present invention is shown to further comprise a tray  31  sized to fit within the extents of the cushions  15  of a billiard table  11 . The otherwise previously described slab  21  is in this embodiment affixed to the top surface  33  of the base  32  of the tray  31 , thereby forming gutters  39  about and between the slab  21  and the upwardly projecting sidewalls  35  of the tray, the resulting gutters  39  being completely segregated from the bed  13  of the billiard table  11 . In order to enable utilization of the distal cushion  15  for play of the shuffleboard game, a notch  37  is provided in the distal sidewall  35  such that a gliding puck may impact the distal cushion  15  as previously described. Still further, as shown in  FIG. 3A , a curtain  38  comprising, for example, a vinyl sheet, may also be provided about the notch  37  such that any applied silicone beads or the like are completely contained within the shuffleboard accessory  20  and maintained apart from the coverings for the bed  13  or cushions  15  of the billiard table  11 . In any case, in order to facilitate the easy placement and removal of the shuffleboard accessory  20  as depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 3A , a plurality of handles  36  are also provided in the sidewalls  35  of the tray. 
         [0024]    While the foregoing description is exemplary of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize the many variations, alterations, modifications, substitutions and the like as are readily possible, especially in light of this description, the accompanying drawings and claims drawn thereto. For example, as particularly shown in  FIG. 1 , a plurality of pads  29  or other cushioning elements may be affixed to the bottom surface of the slab  21 , which is especially desirable in the case of a slab  21  intended for direct contact with the relatively delicate covering of the bed  13  of a billiard table  11 . Likewise, as particularly shown in  FIGS. 3 and 3A , similar pads  34  or cushioning elements are preferably provided on the bottom surface of the tray  31 . 
         [0025]    Still further, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that scoring indicia  23  and/or ornamental features may as desired by applied to the top surface  22  of the slab  21  of the shuffleboard accessory  20 . Likewise, a notch  28  may be formed in the slab  21  in order to increase difficulty of play, thereby enhancing the amusement afforded by the resulting invention. In any case, because the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, the foregoing detailed description should not be construed as a limitation of the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the claims appended hereto.