IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TABLES OR APPARATUS FOR PLAYING BILLIARDS, APPLICABLE ALSO IN PART TO BAGATELLE AND OTHER SIMILAR GAME BOARDS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Marsden, of Chandos Works, Beacon Street, Liver-
pool, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO TABLES OR APPARATUS FOR PLAYING BILLIARDS, APPLICABLE
ALSO IN PART TO BAGATELLE AND OTHER SIMILAR GAME BOARDS."
Sealed the 24th April 1877, and dated the 28th October 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Marsden at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th October 1876.
JOHN MARSDEN, of Chandos Works, Beacon Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TABLES OR APPARATUS FOR
PLAYING BILLIARDS, APPLICABLE ALSO IN PART TO BAGATELLE AND OTHER SIMILAR
GAME BOARDS."
. Billiard tables as at present constructed almost necessitate the games being played
under cover and in rooms purposely arranged therefor; they are also very expensive
and almost necessitate the use of ivory balls. Now my Invention is designed with
a view to do away with a large amount of the cost at present incurred, and to so
arrange it that the game can be played in the open air and without the use of
balls made of ivory, a substance constantly becoming more expensive and difficult
to procure.
In carrying out my Invention I make the bed of sheets or plates of cement or
other artificial substance, or of zinc screwed down or otherwise secured upon wooden
holding blocks in a metallic frame, so that they shall be free to expand instead of
buckling up and yet always remain on a uniform level, the holding blocks being
sometimes made free to give or slide laterally in the frame.
2nd. I sometimes paint or enamel the surface or otherwise cover it with a smooth
waterproof coating so as to protect the plates from corrosion and yet form no
impediment to the free travel of the balls, instead of covering with green baize as
ordinarily practised.
3rd. I make the cushions of metallic round or eliptic tubes or other hard im-
penetrable material, and the balls of india-rubber or other elastic substance, thus
reversing the ordinary plan which consists in making the cushions elastic and the
balls hard and unyielding.

page_text: 4th. By these arrangements I am enabled to make a very cheap, substantial
billiard table, while the balls being elastic are not so easily caused to turn aside by
any accidental dirt or matter that may fall on the table. My table can also be
placed out on the lawn and played in fine weather, thus converting billiard into a
healthy outdoor game. An awning can be erected.
5. The bed of the table is not bound to be made of metal except for export, where
light weight is a great desideratum. I usually prefer cement to zinc or other metallic
plates. The cement plates are formed as follows:-I first obtain a perfectly level
surface; this is best done by planing a large cast-iron bed plate. On this bed plate I
place movable (preferably metallic edges with top, bottom, and sides accurately planed
to the required thickness of the cement plate, usually 13%, inches. I then cast
the cement on this bed plate, accurately levelled off to the height of the edges. These
plates are placed on a frame preferably of the following construction :-Upon cast-
iron legs I place a retangular frame of cast iron, having transverse and longitudinal
bars. The tops of the frame and bars are accurately planed and adjusted by means
of bolts fastening the whole together, so that the upper surfaces shall all be in one
uniform plane. The slab or slabs of cement are then laid on the top, and if more
than one slab be used their edge may be dowelled together in the usual manner,
and the upper surface brought to a perfectly even surface. The hard cushions are
affixed to the table by brackets on the sides, which brackets also prevent the
cement top being pushed out of place.
I arrange the metal frame with holes to hold the cues, avoiding the necessity
of a stand.
I fix in the frame also two indacators or marking apparatus, one for each player.
I also fix in the frame a chalk holder or tube with spring which holds the chalk,
avoiding the chalk touching the hand or clothes of the players.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Marsden in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th April
1877.
JOHN MARSDEN, of Chandos Works, Beacon Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TABLES OR APPARATUS FOR
PLAYING BILLIARDS, APPLICABLE ALSO IN PART TO BAGATELLE AND OTHER SIMILAR
GAME BOARDS."
Billiard tables as at present constructed almost necessitate the games being played
under cover and in rooms purposely arranged therefor; they are also very expensive
and almost necessitate the use of ivory balls. Now my Invention is designed with
a view to do away with a large amount of the cost at present incurred, and to so
arrange it that the game can be played in the open air and without the use of balls
made of ivory, a substance constantly becoming more expensive and difficult to
procure.
In carrying out my Invention I make the bed of sheets or plates of cement or other
artificial substance on an iron frame or of zinc screwed down or otherwise secured
upon wooden holding blocks in a metallic frame.
2nd. I sometimes paint or enamel the surface or otherwise cover it with a smooth
waterproof coating so as to protect the plates from corrosion and yet form no
impediment to the free travel of the balls, instead of covering with green baize as
ordinarily practised.
3rd. I make the cushions of metallic round or eliptic tubes or other hard im-
penetrable material, and the balls of india-rubber or other elastic substance, thus
reversing the ordinary plan, which consists in making the cushions elastic and the
balls hard and unyielding. In order however to use the table for hard balls also
I frequently make the cushions with a soft india-rubber cord shrunk into them in

page_text: the usual manner on one side and make them reversible so that we can use exoner.
side at pleasure, the soft or the hard cushion.
4th. My table can also be placed out on the lawn and played in fine weather,
thus converting billiards into a healthy outdoor game. In such case the board
usually played bare; as however it is well to occasionally be able to use green
baize, I fasten it on when required in the following manner :-A series of round
holes with a thinner slot projecting upwards are placed in the frame shown at E, E, in
Drawings. India-rubber cords are attached to the green baize of a size to just go
easily through the round holes. When therefore the cloth is stretched and the
india-rubber cords or cylindrical tags put through these holes and pulled out and
upward at the same time, the rubber is squeezed up into the slot and expanding to
the natural size on each side is effectually held. An awning can be erected over
the table.
5th. The bed of the table is not bound to be made of metal except for export,
where light weight is a great desideratum. I usually prefer cement to zinc or other
metallic plates. The cement plates are formed as follows:-I first obtain a perfectly
level surface; this is best done by planing a large cast-iron or glass bed plate. On
this bed plate I place movable (preferably metallic) edges with top, bottom, and
sides accurately planed to the required thickness of the cement plate, usually
1 inches. I then cast the cement on this bed plate accurately levelled off to the
height of the edges. These plates are placed on a frame preferably of the following
construction. Upon cast-iron legs I place a rectangular frame of cast iron having
transverse and longitudinal bars. The tops of the frame and bars are accurately
planed and adjusted by means of bolts fastening the whole together, so that the
upper surfaces shall all be in one uniform plane. The slab or slabs of cement are
then laid on the top, and if more than one slab be used their edges may be dowelled
together in the usual manner, and the upper surface brought to a perfectly even
surface. The hard cushions are affixed to the table by brackets attached to the
sides and ends, which brackets also prevent the cement top being pushed out of
place. I arrange the metal frame with holes to hold the cues, avoiding the necessity
of a stand. I affix to the frame also two indicators or marking apparatus, one for each
player. I also fix in the frame a chalk holder or tube with spring which holds the
chalk, thus avoiding the disagreeable necessity or chance of chalking one's hands
or clothes by contact. I also put iron drawers in the table to hold the balls.
EXPLANATION OF DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations of table; Fig. 3, plans; Fig. 4, sectional plan; Fig. 5,
sectional view showing mode of attaching wooden beams of zinc table to frame;
Fig. 6, partial section of zinc table (and ball); Fig. 7, partial section of cement-
topped table and ball.
In these A, A, are the legs of cast iron. B, B, the side frames usually of cast
iron and ornamented in any desirable manner, the end frames and inside cross
bearers are perforated with holes to carry the cues. C, the brackets for carrying
the cushions D and for holding cement top E in place. The cushions D are tubes
of iron or brass, or solid bars of iron with an elastic cord G of india-rubber shrunk
into a groove therein. These are reversable at pleasure so that either the cord or the
hard iron can face the table. H set pin or screw to hold the bar D in place. I, zinc
plate on wooden joist J (used as a substitute for the cement base).
Having now described my Invention and the best mode known to me of carrying
it into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim the principle of making
billiard table tops or frames of metal as that is old, nor yet elastic cord shrunk
into the cushion, nor yet the use of elastic balls independently of my table; but
what I believe to be new and claim as my Invention under the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. The construction of billiard, bagatelle, or similar game apparatus in such
manner that it can be used out of doors and exposed to the weather without material
damage, and thus be adapted for outdoor playing as described.
'

page_text: 2nd. The combination in billiard, bagatelle, or other similar game apparatus
of elastic balls and hard cushions with cement or other hard bed as described.
3rd. The cement bed and method of making the same, substantially as and for
the purposes described.
4th. The general arrangement of parts of billiard table, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Marsden, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord 1877.
Witness,
C. H. COLTON,
Clerk to W. P. Thompson,
Patent Agent,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.
(8.) JO, MARSDEN.