IMPROVEMENTS CUSHIONS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
IN BILLIARD TABLE
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
CUSHIONS." A communication from abroad by Matthew Delaney, of
Virginia State of Nevada. United States of America.
Sealed the 17th June 1870, and dated the 12th January 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents; with his Petition,
on the 12th January 1870..
.I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BILLIARD TABLE
nature of the said Invention, for
CUSHIONS," to be as follows:-.
This Invention relates to improvements in billiard table cushions, and
consists in combining wires or cords with the india-rubber cushions.
These wires or cords are imbedded in the rubber cushions near the edges
whereon the balls strike. At each corner of the table they pass over
.

page_text: 437
metallic bridges, and they are placed under suitable tension by straining
keys so as to cause the cushions to, react much quicker and with greater
elasticity than the nature of the india-rubber alone is capable of, thereby
producing very much superior cushions. The straining keys may be
fitted in the top rails at the ends of the cushions, or they may be
inserted from the bottom of the rail, and openings may be made through
the side of the rail leading to the keys for the wires to pass through, or
any other suitable arrangement for working the keys may be made. In
the case of tables without pockets at the corners the wires may continue
beyond the ends of the cushions in straight lines and the metallic
bridges may be dispensed with.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th July 1870.
12
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE. PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
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 Twelfth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Henry Edward Newton, Her special licence
that I, the said Henry Edward Newton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry 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 and lawfully might make,
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 TABLE CUSHIONS," being a communication to me
from abroad by Matthew Delaney, of Virginia, State of Nevada, United
States of America, upon the condition. (amongst others) that I, the said
Henry Edward: Newton, my executors, or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under, my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe, and, ascertain the nature of the said, In-

page_text: vention, 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 Henry, Edward Newton, do, hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be 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)—
These
This Invention relates to improvements in billiard table cushions, and
consists in combining with the india-rubber cushions wires or cords
imbedded in the edges and running from end to end thereof.
wires must be strained by straining keys or other devices so as to impart
a superior springing quality to the cushions.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents a transverse section
of a cushion and side rail of a billiard table with the improvement
applied to it; Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is
another plan showing a modified arrangement of the straining devices.
A is the india-rubber cushion; B, the wire or cord shewn by dots;
C, the straining pins; and D, metallic bridges at the ends on which the
wires are strained. These wires or cords are imbedded in the rubber
cushions near the edges against which the balls strike, and they are
subjected to suitable tension by the straining keys, so as to cause the
cushions to react much quicker and with greater elasticity than the
nature of the india-rubber alone is capable of, thereby producing very
much superior cushions. The straining keys are represented as being
arranged in the top rails at the ends of the cushions.
They may
however be otherwise arranged, for instance they may be inserted from
the bottom of the rail, and openings may be made through the side of
the rail leading to the keys for the wires to pass through, or any other
suitable arrangements for working the keys may be made. In the case
of tables without pockets at the corners, the wires may continue beyond
the ends of the cushions in straight lines, as shewn in Fig. 3, and the
metallic bridges D shewn at Fig. 2 may be dispensed with.
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated
to me as aforesaid, I claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent,-

page_text: First. The combination with the cushion A of wires or cords B and
straining keys or other straining devices arranged to hold the cords under
tension and to vary the tension for the purposes herein set forth.
Second. The combination with the cushions, wires, or cords and
straining devices of the bridges D, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy...
H. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)