Improvements in and relating to Billiard Boards.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1883-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Billiard Boards.
I, ROBERT ORR TEMPLETON of 154 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Cabinetmaker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows :-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction of
portable billiard board, intended for and capable of being used on the top of any
ordinary dining room or like table for more general use, and in contradistinction to
making them in the form of strong framed billiard tables with slate, marble, or
stone top surfaces.
The improvements consist in making a strong rectangular bound frame of deop
edge bars with cross bars at the ends, and at several intermediate positions
essentially underneath the level of the flat top surface, which would preferably be
formed of narrow longitudual strips the whole length of the board, strongly screwed
or otherwise secured on the top of this cross edge bar bound frame, and preferably
made of bay mahogany cherry or other suitable wood which does not cast or warp
in narrow strips, and formed very flat, and oven on its upper surface for having the
billiard cloth stretched all over the top, and down the edges at the sides, and so
form the surface for the billiard balls rolling on. The outer edge bars of the
billiard board which project up above the said billiard ball surface, beyond the
under bound frame, would be screwed to the side and end rails of said under frame
across the spaces between the pockets, and across the whole ends between the end
pockets, and would preferably be made of mahogany, and be made ornamental on
the outer surface, and rounded at the outer top for leaning on, and made square on
the inner surface, for having the undercut cushion strips secured thereto, which
would be formed, and covered in the usual manner with billiard table green cloth,
projecting a little over the flat surface at the sides, for cushioning the balls all
round on the inside botween the pockets. Those outer edge rails carrying the
Cushioning edges, are bound together at the pockets in the usual manner at the
upper end edges by rounded brass rails above the pockets.
This billiard board so formed is mado for resting by its cross bars on the flat
top of any ordinary dining or like table, and the cross bars would be covered with
woollen or other cloth to prevent them injuring the table but as this board is much
wider and longer than said tables the outer frame rails would preferably be made
to project down below the cross bars, or bracket pieces may be made to so project
down from these side bars of the frame beyond the surface of the ordinary table;
and in either case lateral thumb screws, wedges or other equivalent might be
insorted through or between these projecting parts to grip against the outer edge
of the dining table top so as to secure the board on the table that it would not shift
by the pressure of the persons leaning over the table to play the game. A further
improvement for levolling this billiard board consists in fitting underneath each
foot of the ordinary table, a hinged raising and lowering block of wood, preferably
mounted on a broad strap binge at one end, a recess being formed in the centro of
the hinged block for the roller of the caster at the foot of the table to rest in,
while the lower pinte or strap of the hinge would rest on the floor. A vertical
thumb sorew would be fitted to work in a screw bush sunk and secured in the
opposite end of the hinged block to the hinge, so that in turning this thumb screw
this would raise or lower the block, and the foot of the table under which it was
fitted the lower point of the screw working and bearing down on the top of the
metal strap of the hinge which rests on the floor, thus raising or lowering the table.
by its feet to level the rigid billiard board resting on it. In some cases this billiard
board so made, would be found to be too large for storing away in some houses,

page_text: and in such cases the frame, and board may be made in two parts, with a longitudinal
preferably tongued and grooved joint in the centre, and two central frame bars,
making ench half of the table, a rigid flat board, which would be jointed together,
by hinges at the extreme ends to fold on, or near the central joints, or be fitted
with other equivalent hinges, so that the two flat covered surfaces may fold up
towards each other for removal, or fold down to a flat or level plain on said hinges,
when laid on the table, and the two parts be fixed in this position by catches, and
by swivelling bars under the cross bars secured at their ends by spring or other
catches, so as to retain the two parts, of the said framed billiard board in their flat
position when turned down on the table for use, all otherwise as previously
described in reference to the board made in one framed piece.
Dated 1st February 1803
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agente.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Billiard Boards.
I, ROBERT ORR TEMPLETON, of 154 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshiro
Cabinetmaker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement in writing, that is to say :—
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction of
portable billiard board intended for and capable of being used on the top of any
ordinary dining room or like table for more general use and in contradistinction to
making them in the form of strong framed billiard tablos with slate, marble, or
stone top surfaces.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings in which the same reference lotters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figures 1 and 2 represent longitudinal and end elevations respectively, both
partly in section, of my improved hilliard board as mounted over the top of an
ordinary dining room table; and Figure 3 is a vertical section broken away, of the
billiard board and its fittings to an enlarged scale. While Figures 4 and 5
represent an elevation, partly in section, and plan view respectively of the hinged
foot block and fittings used for adjusting the level of the billiard table,
Referring to these drawings:-The improvements consist in making a strong
rectangular bound frame A, A', of deep edge bars A with crossbars Aat soveral
intermediate positions essentially underneath the level of the flat top surface, which
would preferably be formed of narrow longitudinal strips a the whole length of the
board securely jointed to each other along the edges by tongued and grooved joints
at a or they may be screwed or otherwise secured on the top of this cross edge
bar bound frame A, A', and preferably made of bay mahogany, cherry, or other
suitable wood which does not cast or warp, in narrow strips, and formed very flat,
and even on its upper surface, for having the billiard cloth a stretched all over the
top, and down the edges at the sides, and so form the surface for the billiard balls
rolling on. The outer edge bars B of the billiard board which project up above
the said billiard ball surface a' beyond the under bound frame A, A', would he
secured to the side and end rails A' of the said under frame A, A', across the
spaces between the pockets b, and across the whole ends between the end pockets,
and would preferably be made of mahogany, and be ornamental on the outer surface,
and rounded at the outer top B' for leaning on, and made square on the inner
surface at B for having the under-cut india rubber cushion strips B cemented or
secured thereto, and which would be formed and covered in the usual manner with
billiard table green cloth bª and projecting a little over the flat surface at the sides

page_text: for cushioning the balls all round on the inside between the pockets. These onter
edge bars B carrying the cushiouing edges B' are bound together at the pockets
in the usual manner at the upper edges by rounded brass rails 6' above the
pockets b.
This billiard board so formed is made for resting by its cross bars A', on the
flat top of
any ordinary dining or like table, such as that shown at C, and these
cross bars A, would be covered with woollen or other cloth A to prevent them
injuring the tablo C, but as this board A, A', is much wider and longer than said
tables C the outer frame rails A' would preferably be made to project down below
the cross bars A' or bracket pieces may be made to so project down from these side
bars A' of the frame A, A', beyond the surface of the ordinary table C; and in
oither case lateral thumb screws or spindles c would be inserted through screw eyes
or sockets o³ in these projecting parts A, and have india-rubber grooved strips c'
on their innor ends, or adjustable wedges or other equivalent may be similarly used
to grip against the outer edge C' of the dining table top C so as to secure the
board A, A' on the table C that it would not shift by the pressure of persons
leaning over the table to play the game. A further improvement for adjusting tho
level of this billiard board, A Aa consists in fitting underneath the rollers on
each foot C' of the ordinary table, a hinged raising and lowering wood or other
block D mounted on a broad strap hinge D' D" at one end D a recess being
formed at D' in the centre of the hinged block D for the roller of the caster at the
foot C' of the table C to rest iu; while the lower plate or strap D' of the hinge
would rest on the floor. A vertical thumb screw would be fitted to work in a
screw bush d' sunk and secured in the and of the hinged block D opposite to the
hinge plate D' so that on turning this thumb screw d this would raise or lower the
block D, and the foot C' of the table C under which it was fitted, the lower point
of the screw & working and bearing down on the top of the metal strap D¹ of the
binge D' D" which rests on the floor, thus raising or lowering the table C by its
feet C to level the rigid billiard board A, A' a resting on it. In some cases this
billiard board so made would he found to be too large for storing away in some
houses and in such cases the frame A, A', and board a may be made in two parts
with a longitudinal preferably tongued and grooved joint in the contre, and two
central frame bars A¹ making each half of the table, a rigid flat board which would
he jointed together by hinges at the extreme ends to fold on, or near the central
joints, or be fitted with other equivalent hinges so that the two flat covered
surfaces a a¹ may fold up towards each other for removal, or fold down to a flat or
level plane on said hinges, when laid on the table (and the two parts be fixed in
this position by ordinary catches, and swivelling bars under the cross bars A¹ and
secured at thoir ends by spring or other catches, so as to retain the two parts, of
the said framed billiard board in their flat position when turned down on the table
for use, all otherwise as previously described in reference to the board made in one
framed piece.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The construction or arrangement and combination of the parts and
adjusting and levelling fittings of portable billiard boards mounted over an ordinary
table, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the accom-
panying drawings.
Second. The construction of billiard boards in the form of a barred frame with
the top horizontal surface formed from a series of parallel narrow strips secured
together, and having outer top edge bars carrying the cushions, while said board is
portably mounted over the top of an ordinary table by outer frame rails or brackets
and adjusting thumb screws or equivalent fittings, substantially as herein described
3 in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. The construction and use of hinged, raising and lowering adjustable

page_text: blocks, or their equivalents, on which the feet of the table rest, so as to be able
to bring the flat surface of the portable billiard board to the desired level, sub-
stantially as herein described in reference to and by way of application shown in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated 1st November 1893.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.