IMPROVEMENTS IN BILLIARD TABLES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BILLIARD TABLES."-A communication
from Abraham Bassford, of New York.
Sealed the 5th August 1859, and dated the 9th March 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th March 1859.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BILLIARD TABLES," to be
as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in billiard tables consists, first, in sup-
porting the rail by means of rhomb-shaped studs, which leave room enough
in their centre for bolts to pass through, while they are bevilled down
towards both ends, so that an open space is left between the bed and the rail
nearly all the way round, so that a ball can be reached with a cue just
as easily when it lies close up to the cushion as it is to play on it when it lies
further from the rail. And the Invention also consists in forming the pocket
bows of the same pieces which form the rail, joining the same in the middle
of the bows, and giving them a bevil underneath, so as to throw the balls

page_text: down when played at the pockets, and yet keeping the pocket bow on a line
with the top of the rail.
And the Invention further consists in a particular construction of the
cushion, the object of which is to give a perfectly true angle. In order
to effect this desideratum, it would be necessary to have a cushion consisting
of a perfectly hard and elastic substance, such as ivory, for instance; and if
such a cushion were otherwise practicable, it would be perfectly true; such a
cushion, however, is not practicable, because it would injure the balls,
and because balls thrown against it at a very obtuse angle would slide on the
edge, instead of being reflceted. The softer the cushion, that is, the greater
the impression which the ball when thrown against it makes on the same,
the more influence it has on the angle of reflection. Therefore, a cushion
constructed of a perfectly hard substance, but so arranged that it does
not injure the balls, and that the balls do not slide on its surface, will make
the most perfect cushion in existence; and, accordingly, the improved cushion
is constructed of a metallic plate, the edge of which is covered with a
thin strip of india-rubber, or other soft but elastic substance of the proper
thickness, in order to give perfectly true angles from any force of propulsion
imparted to the ball, and also to prevent the balls from becoming injured by
coming in contact with the metal plate, but not so thick as to cause a false
reflection of the ball when played at the cushion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th September 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS. SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special license that. I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Edward. Newton,. my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any. time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should

page_text: and lawfully might mako, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BILLIARD TABLES," being à communication
from Abraham Bassford, of New York, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby.
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention of "Improvements in Billiard Tables" consists, first, in
supporting the rail by means of rhomb-shaped studs, which leave room
enough in their centre for bolts to pass through, while they are bevilled down
towards both ends, so that an operi space is left between the bed and the rail
nearly all the way round, so that a ball can be reached with a cue just
as easily when it lies close up to the cushion as it is to play on it when it lies
further from the rail; and the Invention also consists in forming the pocket
bows of the same pieces which form the rail, joining the same in the middle of
the bows, and giving them a bevel underneath, so as to throw the balls down
when played at the pockets, and yet keeping the pocket bow on a line with
the top of the rail.
.
And the Invention further consists in a particular construction of the
cushion, the object of which is to give a perfectly true angle. In order
to effect this desideratum, it would be necessary to have a cushion consisting
of a perfectly hard and elastic substance, such as ivory, for instance; and if
such a cushion were otherwiso practicable, it would be perfectly true; such a
cushion, however, is not practicable, because it would injure the balls, and
because balls thrown against it at a very obtuse angle would slide on
the edge, instead of being reflected. The softer the cushion, that is, tho
greater the impression which the ball when thrown against it makes on the
same, the more influence it has on the angle of reflection. Therefore, a
cushion constructed of a perfectly hard substance, but so arranged that it does
not injure the balls, and that the balls do not slide on its surface, will make
the most perfect cushion in existence; and, accordingly, the iniproved cushion
is constructed of a metallic plate, the edge of which is covered with a

page_text: thin strip of india-rubber or other soft but elastic substance of the proper
thickness, in order to give perfectly true angles from any force of propulsion
imparted to the ball, and also to prevent the balls from becoming injured by
coming in contact with the metal plate, but not so thick as to cause a false
reflection of the ball when played at the cushion.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which
Fig. 1 represents a plan or top view of part of a billiard table, constructed
according to these improvements.. Fig. 2.is a longitudinal vertical section of
part of the bel of a billiard table, showing the manner, in which the rail is
attached to the bed, and joined at the pocket bows. Fig. 3 is a transverse
vertical section of the same. Fig. 4 is 'a transverse vertical section of one of
the pocket bows. Fig. 5 is a plan or top view of one. of the studs which
support the rail. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the influence upon the direction
of a ball of the old or common cushion, and of that cushion which constitutes.
a portion of these improvements. Similar letters of reference denote like parts
in all of the Figures.
A represents the bed of a billiard table, to which the rail B is secured by.
means of bolts a; and the rail is supported by studs C, which are rhomb-
shaped, so that the same will have room enough for the bolts a to pass,
through their centre, and at the same time they are bevilled off on both sides.
to sharp points. By these means sufficient bearing surface is obtained, and
the studs offer but little obstruction to the player, if he has to play on a ball:
lying close up to the cushion. In order to secure the rail more firmly to the.
studs C, cavities c, Fig. 3, are made in the upper part of the same, and right.
in their centres projections or bosses d are cast, or otherwise rigidly attached
to the rails, which projections fit into the said cavities, and the bolts a screw
up into the bosses d, so that the latter serve the double purpose of giving a
better hold to the screws, and of keeping the rails in their places. The lower
surface of the studs C, where they rest on the bed, is, moreover, enlarged by a,
foot e, to increase the bearing surface, and as the foot is made only very low,
it forms no additional obstruction to the player. The pocket bows D are.
made with and form part of the rails. They are joined by a lap joint f, and
are secured together by screws g', Figures 1 and 2. The under edge of the
pocket bow is bevilled off, so as to throw the balls down when the same are
played at the pockets. By these means the rail is made perfectly firm
and secure; and it can easily be taken to pieces by taking out the screws g,
and by removing the bolts a, and the pockets are easily attached by giving the.
leather cover of the pocket bow such a shape, that the same can be slipped
over the bow after the latter has been joined. The rail B is provided with

page_text: a slot h, Fig. 1, and the edge of this rail is protected by a strip of india-
rubber i, Fig. 3, which is supported by a metal plate I, which is placed under
the rail B, and is attached to the same by means of the studs C, and the strip
of india-rubber is confined in its place by a strip of cloth j, which is turned
over the same as shown in Fig: 3, both ends being confined in the slot h by a
wooden wedge, which is firmly driven into the same. The edge of the plate I
projects but very little beyond the edge of the rail B, or just enough to prevent
the strip of india-rubber from sinking down. For the purpose of protecting
the edge of the rail, any other suitable elastic substance may be used instead
of india-rubber, provided that the same be soft enough not to injure the balls;
and the strip i is made only just thick enough to prevent the balls from getting
injured by coming in contact with the edge of the rail B.
The influence of the imbedment of a ball in a soft substance upon the
direction of the same is clearly shown in Fig. 6. The ball L makes an
impression into the cushion, if thrown against it under an angle 9; and
instead of running off under the same angle, the influence of the imbedment
is such that the angle of reflection & in running off is larger than the angle q,
under which the ball struck the cushion, and the difference depends on the
distance of the ball from the point on which it strikes and on the force of the
blow. With the improved rail, on the other hand, the imbedment is so small
that it has no appreciable influence on the reflection of the ball, as shown at f,
and the imbedment is in proportion to the force of the blow given; but is not
enough to cause a false reflection, as the metallic or hard construction of the
back prevents the ball from sinking too deep when propelled by a hard stroke,
and the spring from the rail then regulates the speed of the ball. If it
is found necessary to obtain a still more elastic cushion, I place under
the studs C washers of india-rubber or other elastic substance. By giving
the rubber the shape shown in the Drawing, and in combination with
the metal plate, I have a cushion which will give the correct quantity of
elasticity to act on the ball under a light or a heavy stroke, and yet counteract
the too great indentation of the ball. By this method I get a cushion which
will give nearer true angles than any other, and it will play the ball from
one to forty feet, a result which cannot be accomplished with any other
cushion extant.
Having now described the Invention of "Improvements in Billiard Tables,"
as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and having explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, 1 claim as the Invention secured
to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,―
First, the arrangement of the cushion rail of a billiard table in such a

page_text: manner that a space is left between the bed and the rail, by securing the rail
to the bed by means of studs and bolts for the purpose specified.
Second, I claim the mode of constructing the studs C, so as to give room
to the bolts a to pass through their centres, while they are bevilled down to
sharp points at both ends for the purpose described.
Third, I claim the arrangement of the pocket bows D, which form part of
the rail, and are secured together by a lap joint, and which are bevilled down
at their lower edge as set forth.
Fourth, I claim the construction of the cushion of a billiard table of a metal
plate B, the edge of which is protected by a thin strip of india-rubber or
other suitable substance, as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Thirty-first day of. August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-ninc.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)