Improvements in the Construction of the Floors of Billiard-rooms or the like, and in Means for Lowering and Raising Portions thereof.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of the Floors of Billiard-rooms
or the like, and in Means for Lowering and Raising Portions
thereof.
I WALTER WHITMORE BURNETT, The Globe, Brighton Road, Sutton,
Surrey, Sugar Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
My invention relates to the construction of floors of billiard-rooms or the like,
and in means for lowering and raising portions thereof, and has for its object to
provide means whereby a portion of a floor, of a billiard-room or the like together
with the billiard-table or other article or objects supported thereon can be lowered
out of sight into a recess or pit provided for the purpose below such floor, or into
an ordinary chamber or basement, so that in the case of a billiard-room for
instance, such room can be speedily converted into a ball-room, or be adapted to
other similar purposes where a floor free from impediments is required.
In order that the said invention may be readily and fully understood, I have
made reference to same upon the accompanying sheets of illustrative drawings,
wherein :-
Fig. 1 is a section upon line x, x, of Fig. 2, of a floor of a billiard-room and its
supports, shewing such floor in its lowered position.
Fig. 2 is a plan of same.
Fig. 3 a section upon line y y of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 an elevation, partly in section of one of the lowering and raising
devices, and
Fig. 5 a section of a portion of the floor, shewing the manner in which the
opening produced by the lowered portion of the floor, is covered over.
Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corre-
sponding parts throughout the figures, the floor A is constructed with a loose or
divided portion a, preferably located in the centre, the shape of such portion a
being determined by the general shape of the room. This loose or divided
portion a constitutes a movable platform upon which is supported a billiard-table
or the like b.
The immovable part of the floor A is supported and strengthened in the usual
manner by joists c and girders c¹ while the movable portion a, is provided with
joists d and girders d'.
Vertical recesses e are provided in the walls E of the room, in which are located
vertical Archimedian screws F, the lower extremities of which work upon suitable
bearings in the floor of the chamber or recess B into which the movable platform a
descends.
The ends of the cross girders d' have tapped openings, through which work
the said screws F to raise and lower such girders and the platform a supported
thereby.
The upper extremities of the screws F are provided with square or other suitable
angle-heads upon which removable keys fit to turn such screws as required. A
portion of each screw F is of circular form in section to work smoothly in its
respective opening in the fixed girders c¹, the said screws being also flanged above
and beneath such openings in the girders, to partly take off the strain from the
lower portions of the said screws F.
A recess c² is provided in the upper part of each end of the girders c', into which
recesses the keys aforesaid are inserted for the purpose of turning the heads ƒ of

page_text: the screws F, which heads, by thus providing the said recesses, are prevented
projecting above the level of the surface of the girders and the floor. The said
recesses are kept normally closed or covered up, by wooden plugs or covers c³,
which may be entirely removable, or be hinged to the floor, as found desirable.
When the movable platform a has been lowered into the chamber or recess B,
the opening in the floor A which is caused thereby, is covered up or filled in by
a false floor a', the edges a' of which are bevelled off to form with the other edges
of the floor, splayed joints.
I preferably hinge to the edges of the floor A, strips of flooring a bevelled off
at the edges a which oppose the corresponding edges of the false floor a', so that
when the said false floor a¹ is laid in position the strips a' are turned down upon
their hinges a so as to be flat upon the bevelled edges a² and form splayed joints
with the false flooring a', and render the surfaces of the two parts a³ and a',
perfectly level.
Dowels a may be provided if desirable, for the purpose of strengthening the
said joints.
In operation, the portion of the floor A, which constitutes the movable platforma,
is lowered by removing the plugs or covers from the recesses in which the heads/
are located, and then fitting the beforementioned keys upon such heads, whereupon
the screws F can be turned, the action of thus turning them causing the girders d¹
(through the tapped openings of which the said screws F pass), and the floor or
platform a supported thereon to be lowered into the chamber or recess B provided
for the reception of same.
The opening in the floor A caused by the lowering of the portion a, is then
closed by the false floor a', the ends of which are laid upon the girders, and the
hinged pieces a³ then turned down upon their hinges to form splayed joints
as shewn by Fig. 5. The movable platform a is raised to its normal position
by turning the screws F in the opposite direction to that by which the said
movable platform a is lowered.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. In the form of a billiard-room or the like, the apparatus for lowering same
temporarily into a recess provided for the purpose, or into an ordinary chamber or
basement, substantially as and for the purpose described, and as illustrated.
2. The construction of the floor of a billiard-room or the like, whereby a portion
of same can be lowered out of sight and the opening caused thereby, closed by a
temporary or false floor, substantially as and for the purpose described and as
illustrated.
3. The improvements in the construction of the floors of billiard-rooms or the
like, and in means for temporarily lowering, and raising back to the original position
portions thereof, substantially as and for the purpose specified, and as illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 10th day of November 1894.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23, Coleman Street, London, Agents for the Applicant.