A New or Improved Billiard Table.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Billiard Table.
I, ERNEST DE LIMA BIRD 10 High Street Peckham London S.E. Toy Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of a table surrounded by four or more inclined planes
(which take the place of the usual rubber cushions). The said table & inclined
planes may be made of any suitable material & the inclined planes may be made
fixed or movable to the table; the said inclined planes can be fixed at any
desirable angle to the table. I also sink six or more holes in the said inclines
to form pockets into which the balls may be run. The ball now being propelled
by means of a cue is forced up an incline & in return receives a momentum
from descending the said incline which carries it to an opposite incline up which
it ascends & descends as before stated & so on until the momentum is spent ;
at the outside of the incline I form a ridge, thereby preventing the ball from
rolling off.
Dated this 9th day of December 1890.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Billiard Table..
ERNEST DE LIMA BIRD 10 High Street Peckham Perambulator Manufacturer
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 is meant to supply an improved board or table, on which a game of
billiards or any similar game with balls can be played. The construction of same
consists of a flat rectangular board or table, A Fig. I. of wood or cardboard or any
suitable material, around the four sides of which I fix four pieces of flat wood or
cardboard of the required width B C D E. Fig. 1. at a suitable angle to the said
board or table A. Fig. I. so as to form inclined planes all round the board or
table A Fig. 1. thereby forming a tray-shaped board, the section of which
is D A E. Fig. II. The ends of each of the pieces of wood or cardboard BCDE
are mitred so as to intersect with each other at the corners. I then sink a hole at
each corner & one in the centre of each of the longest sides, for the balls to
drop into.
The inside of the board may be covered with flock paper or fine cloth to give
the balls a grip. I then enclose the tray-shaped board in a frame made of
moulding, the section of which is drawn at F. Fig. II. The rebate of the said
frame laps over the top of the tray-shaped board as at L. Fig. II. forming a ridge
whereby the balls are prevented from rolling off. At the back of the frame F.
Fig. II. I fix a board Y. Fig. II. which keeps the tray-shaped board in its place.
The action of a ball on the said tray-shaped board is, that when a ball is struck
with a cue, it ascends one of the inclined planes & on descending the same receives
a momentum, which carries it to an opposite incline, up which it ascends & descends
& so on until the ball has spent itself. I do not confine the shape to a four-sided
one, it may be made with any amount of sides. As my improvements are capable
of some slight modifications without departing from the principle thereof, I do not
restrict myself to material or dimensions or to the precise form or placement of the
several parts thereof.

page_text: Having now particularly described; & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
I. An improved board or table with inclined planes all round the said board or
table, for playing a game of billiards or any similar game with balls, arranged,
constructed & operating substantially as described & shown & for the purpose set
forth.
II. An improved, inclined plane serving the same purpose as the usual rubber
cushions for billiard tables substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 5th day of September 1891.
ERNEST DE LIMA BIRD.