BILLIARD/SNOOKER OR POOL TABLE COVER

Abstract: A cover device (2) mounted at one end (3) of a billiard/snooker or pool table (1) comprises a cover sheet (4) for covering the playing area (7) of the table (1). The cover sheet (4) is stored in a rolled condition on a roller (5) which is secured to the table (1) by brackets (6). To cover the playing surface the cover sheet (4) is withdrawn from the roller (5) to an unrolled condition in which it extends from the end (3) of the table (1) to which the roller (5) is secured to the opposite end of the table (1).

Description: BILLIARD/SNOOKER OR POOL TABLE COVER This invention relates to improvements in covers for billiard/snooker or pool tables. It is desirable to protect the playing area of such tables when they are not being used from contamination such as dust and dirt and from fading, and heretofor it has been the practice to use loose sheet covers to cover such tables. The disadvantages are that they require folding for tidy storage when they are removed from the table and are time consuming to refit after the table has been used. An object of this invention is to provide a cover device for billiard/snooker or pool tables which avoid these disadvantages. The invention includes on or for use on a billiard/ snooker or pool table, a cover device comprising a cover sheet for covering the playing area of the table, which cover sheet is stored in a rolled condition on a roller, and securing means mounted, or adapted to be mounted, to one end of the table for securing said device thereto with the cover sheet in its rolled condition such that the cover sheet is movable to an unrolled condition in which it extends from said one end of the table to the opposite end thereof. In some embodiments the securing means permanently or removably secure said roller to said one end of the table, such that said cover sheet is withdrawable from said roller secured thereby to extend to said opposite end of the table. The roller may be provided with rewind means for rewinding said cover sheet from its unrolled condition to its rolled condition. For example the rewind means may comprise spring means which become tensioned on withdrawal of said cover sheet from said roller. An alternative rewind means envisages electric motor means and drive means disposed within said roller. Preferably the device includes second securing means mounted, or adapted to be mounted,at said opposite end of the table for securing the free end of the cover sheet after the cover sheet has been withdrawn from the roller. In another embodiment, said securing means secure the free end of the cover sheet to said one end of the table such that rolling of the roller from said one end to said opposite end moves said cover sheet to its un¬ rolled condition. In such an embodiment the roller is advantageously provided with guides at each end which locate on opposite side edges of the table to guide said rolling of the roller. The invention also includes a cover device for use on a billiard/snooker or pool table, comprising a cover sheet for covering the playing area of the table which cover sheet is stored in a rolled condition on a roller the opposite ends of which are provided with flanges, the inner faces of which are engageable with opposite sides of the table to guide rolling movement of the roller over the table between the ends thereof during unrolling and re-rolling of the cover sheet. The cover sheet of a device embodying the invention may be formed of electrostatically chargeable material, preferably with the lower surface thereof being less electrostatically chargeable than the upper surface. By using a suitable electrostatically chargeable material for the cover, an electrostatic charge will be induced therein during its un-rolling from the roller in an operation to cover the table and that static charge will attract debris (e.g. dust and dirt) from the playing surface of the table to the lower surface of the cover, thereby cleaning the playing surface. The cover is arranged with a coating such that the lower surface thereof is less statically charged than the upper surface then advantageously the debris will be transferred from the lower surface to the upper surface when the cover is re-rolled for subsequent cleaning from the upper surface when the cover is un-rolled again. In order that the invention may be well understood, some embodiments thereof which are given by way of example only, will now be described with reference to the accom¬ panying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective schematic view showing one end of a pool table having a cover device permanently secured thereto; Figure 2 is a schematic fragmentary longitudinal section of a pool table having a cover device removably secured to one end thereof; Figures 3 and 4 are schematic axial cross-sections of respective ends of a roller of a cover device provided with an electric rewind; Figure 5 is a schematic axial cross-section of an end of a roller provided with a spring rewind; and Figure 6 is a plan view of another cover device. Referring now to Figure 1 , a pool table 1 has a cover device 2 permanently secured to the illustrated end 3 thereof. The cover device comprises a cover sheet 4 which is illustrated in a stored, rolled condition on a roller 5 and securing means comprising brackets 6 which are mounted on the end 3 of the table and which receive respective ends of the roller and thereby secure the device to the table. The brackets 6 rotatably support the roller such that the cover sheet can be withdrawn from the roller along the length of the table over the • playing area 7 thereof until it extends to the end of the table opposite the end 3 illustrated at which end the free end of the cover sheet may be secured by hook or other fastening means (not shown in Figure l). The free end of the sheet 4 is provided with a projecting pull tag 8 by which the sheet can be pulled to with- draw it from the roller and in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 this pull tag is provided with an aperture 9 by which the cover sheet may be secured when in its un-rolled condition to a hook provided at the end of the table opposite end 3« Figure 2 shows another embodiment comprising a cover device 10 mounted at one end of a billiard/snooker or pool table 11, a cover sheet 12 thereof being shown in an un-rolled condition covering the playing surface 13 of the table. The cover device 10 includes a roller 14 mounted at one end 20 of the table 11 for rotation about axis 15 * In this embodiment the roller is removably secured to the end 20 of the table by two brackets 21 (only one of which is shown) which are mounted to the end 20 by screw fastenings, indicated at 22. The brackets 21 receive respective ends of the roller 14- To enable the brackets 21 to removably secure the roller 14 to the table at least one of the brackets is provided with an open mouthed recess 23 into and out of which a projection 24 of the roller can be moved, the projection being received in the recess 23 during un-rolling of the cover sheet. The end 25 of the table opposite end 20 thereof is provided with securing means, shown as a hook 26 mounted thereto by screw fastenings indicated at 27 > and the free end of the cover sheet 12 is provided with a pull tag 28 having an aperture 29 by which the cover sheet 12 can be secured, as illustrated, to the hook 26 when in its un-rolled condition. The material of the cover sheet 12 is electro- statically chargeable, and when the cover sheet is un-rolled to cover the table an electrostatic charge is induced therein. This charge attracts debris 16 (e.g. dust and dirt) from the playing surface 13 of the table to the lower surface 17 of the cover sheet, there- by cleaning the playing surface (at least to a marked extent). The cover sheet may be arranged with a coating such that the lower surface 17 of the cover sheet is less statically charged than the upper surface l8 there- . of. Thus, when the cover sheet is re-rolled on roller 14 to uncover the table, the debris 16 is transferred from the lower surface to the upper surface when those surfac¬ es contact in the turns of the roll being formed on roller 14- Subsequent un-rolling of the cover sheet to cover the playing surface again will present the debris on top of the cover for easy removal therefrom, for ex¬ ample by means of a manually applied damp cloth as illustrated. To produce this differential of charge between the two surfaces of the cover, the lower surface of the material may be provided with an aluminium (or part aluminium) coating. The material which is coated, or aluminised, on its lower surface is typically a man-made fibre material such as nylon. The presently preferred material is Nylon 66 with an aluminium pig- mented polyurethane finish on one side. Advantageously the re-rolling of the cover to uncover the playing surface can be utilised to smooth the nap of the baize material forming the playing sur¬ face by arranging for the cover or an attachment (not shown) at the free end thereof to move over the baize in contact therewith during re-rolling. As schematically illustrated in Figure 2 the device may be provided with a shield 10A hich extends along the length of the roller 14 and may also enclose the brackets 21, to protect the cover sheet and roller from accidental or deliberate damage. The shield may include means to locate the free end of the cover sheet and in any event defines a mouth through which the cover sheet can pass. The device shown in Figure 1 can also be provided with a similar shield and/or have its cover sheet electrostatically chargeable. Whilst in each of the embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the roller may be arranged for manual re- rolling or rewinding of the cover sheet from its un-rolled condition in which it covers the table playing area, preferably the roller is provided with a- rewind means for causing rotation of the roller about its axis and thereby rewinding of the cover sheet. One form of rewind means is shown in Figures 3 and 4 and comprises an electric motor 30 and drive means 31 disposed in-line within the roller, here indicated at 32, at one end 33 thereof. Whilst the motor may be mains powered, in the rewind means illustrated it is a D.C. motor and battery powered, a dry cell battery 34 being located in the other end 35 of the roller 32 and having its positive terminal 36 urged against a contact 37 5 which is disposed on an insulating wall 38 extending across the interior of the roller, by a spring 39 which is inter¬ posed between the negative terminal 40 of the battery and a switch 41 * A push button actuator 42 of the switch protrudes from the end 35 of the roller and from the brackets 43 by which that end is secured to the table. The positive contact 37 on the wall 38 is electrically connected to a positive terminal 44 of the motor 30 by an electrical conductor spaced from the interior of the roller and indicated at 45 in Figures 3 and 4, Negative terminals 46 and 47 of the motor and switch respectively are interconnected by being connected to the interior of the roller which is either itself electrically conductive or is provided with an electrically conductive element for this purpose. The drive 31j which may in- corporate a gear train, is provided with a driven shaft 48 which extends from the end 33 of the roller and is non-rotatably secured in an aperture 49 provided in the bracket 5o by which that end 33 of the roller is secured to the table end. The housings of the drive 31 and the motor 30 and the battery and the switch are all mounted within the roller 80 so as to be non-rotatable relative thereto and accordingly when the motor is actuated and the roller is rotated about its longitudinal axis due to the driven shaft 48 of the drive being non-rotatably secured in bracket 50, there is no relative rotation be¬ tween the motor terminals and their connections and therefore no need for commutating brushes. Also since the battery is disposed within the roller there is no need to take electrical connections for the motor 30 through either of brackets 43 and 50, which as illust¬ rated incorporate respective bearings 51 and 5 rotatably supporting the roller ends 35 and 33- An alternative form of rewind means comprises a spring means which becomes tensioned on rotation of the roller in one sense during withdrawal of the cover sheet from the roller in order to provide a drive torque for rotating the roller in the other sense to cause rewinding of the cover sheet. Thus, in this respect the roller and cover sheet can operate in the same manner as the well known spring loaded domestic roller blinds. Figure 1 schematically illustrates a simple form of spring oper¬ ated rewind means in which a coil spring 60 is disposed within one end 6l of a roller 62 for a device similar to the devices described in connection with Figures 1 and 2. The spring 60 has its outer end 63 fast with the in- terior of the roller and its inner end 64 fast with a shaft 65 which extends from the end 61 of the roller and is non-rotatably secured in an aperture 66 in a bracket 67 by which that end 6l of the roller is secured to the table end. As will be appreciated rotation of the roller in one sense on withdrawal of the cover sheet (not' shown in Figure 5) therefrom tensions the spring 60 such that the spring is able to subsequently drive the roller in the other sense to rewind the cover sheet thereon. Referring now to Figure 6, there is shown an alter¬ native cover device which comprises a cover sheet 70 which is stored in a rolled condition on a roller 71 • In use the free end 7 of the cover sheet is held at one end of the table and the roller is rolled from that end to the opposite end of the table thereby unrolling the cover sheet along the length of the table. In Figure 6 this device is shown with its cover sheet partially un¬ rolled and with its free end 72 provided with an aper- tured tag 73 by which the free end (and thus the device) may be secured to one end of the table, for example on a hook mounted thereto, to ensure that the free end 72 is held fast at that end of the table during rolling of the roller 71 to the opposite end of the table. The opposite ends of the roller 71 are provided with respect- ive guides formed as flanges 74 * The distance between the inner faces 75 of the flanges 74 is such that the inner faces engage the opposite sides of the table to guide rolling movement of the roller over the table be¬ tween the ends thereof during unrolling and re-rolling of the cover sheet. Of course whilst the illustrated devices have been described in connection with covering a pool table, they can be used for covering snooker/billiard tables, the length of the roller and that of the cover sheet being predetermined by the particular size of table with which the device is to be used in each case. From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the illustrated devices provide for far easier covering of billiard/snooker or pool tables than the conventional loose cover sheets and accordingly whereas it is often the case that tables provided with loose cover sheets are not covered after use it is far more likely that tables provided with one of the illustrated cover devices will be covered after use.

Claims: CLAIMS : _ _. 1. On, or for use on, a billiard/snooker or pool table, a cover device comprising a cover sheet for cover¬ ing the playing area of the table, which cover sheet is stored in a rolled condition on a roller, and securing means mounted, or adapted to be mounted, to one end of the table for securing said device thereto with the cover sheet in its rolled condition such that the cover sheet is movable to an unrolled condition in which it extends from said one end of the table to the opposite end there- of . 2. A cover device as claimed in claim 1, in which said securing means permanently or removably secure said roller to said one end of the table, such that said cover sheet is withdrawable from said roller secured thereby to extend to said opposite end of the table. 3. A cover device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said roller is provided with rewind means for rewinding said cover sheet from its unrolled condition to its rolled condition. 4• A cover device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said rewind means comprises spring means which become tensio- ned on withdrawal of said cover sheet from said roller. 5- A cover device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said rewind means comprises electric motor means and drive means disposed within said roller. 6. A cover device as claimed in claim 2, 3, 4 or 5, further including second securing means mounted, or adapted to be mounted at said opposite end of the table for securing the free end of the cover sheet after the cover sheet has been withdrawn from the roller. 7. A cover device as claimed in claim 1, in which said securing means secure the free end of the cover sheet to said one end of the table such that rolling of the roller from said one end to said opposite end moves said cover sheet to its unrolled condition. 8. A cover device as claimed in claim 7 , in which the roller is provided with guides at each end which loc¬ ate on opposite side edges of the table to guide said rolling of the roller. 9• A cover device for use on a billiard/snooker or pool table, comprising a cover sheet for covering the playing area of the table which cover sheet is stored in a rolled condition on a roller the opposite ends of which are provided with flanges, the inner faces of which are engageable with opposite sides of the table to guide rolling movement of the roller over the table between the ends thereof during unrolling and re-rolling of the cover sheet. 10. A cover device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 or any one of claims 7, 8 or 9 > in which said cover sheet is formed of electrostatically chargeable material, preferably with the lower surface thereof being less electrostatically chargeable than the upper surface.

Inventors: FOSTER TERENCE, INESON GLYN, FOSTER, TERENCE, INESON, GLYN
Applicants: BAIZEGARD LTD, BAIZEGARD LIMITED
Application year: 1985
Main classification: A63D13
IPC codes: A63D15, A63F7