Improvements in or Applicable to Billiard Tables.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left. 3rd July, 1890-Accepted, 9th Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Applicable to Billiard Tables.
I, GEORGE LLOYD BERRY, of 16, Regency Street, in the City of Westminster:
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:<
This invention relates to means for causing billiard-balls, after falling into a
pocket," to return to the "baulk-end" of the table; its object being to save the
player or players, when no marker is employed, the trouble of fetching a ball from a
distant pocket and returning it to "baulk."
In carrying out my invention, I provide, on each side of the table and beneath the
pockets, an inclined guide or track for the reception of the balls which fall from the
pockets; the bottoms of the latter being made with an orifice large enough for a
billiard-ball to pass through. Each ball, when it arrives on the inclined guide or
track, owing to the inclination thereof, commences to roll and continues rolling until
it reaches a point accessible to the hand of the player. Means may be provided for
cutting off at pleasure the communication between the guides or tracks and particular
pockets-as for example, the two corner pockets into which the hall is driven in
playing the "spot" stroke. It is unnecessary for the two corner pockets at the
"baulk "-end to be in communication with the guide or track; balls falling into these
being within easy reach of the player. The guide or track may be formed from a
piece of wood hollowed out into a trough-like form, or from two pieces of wood, or
from sheet metal or metal rods or other suitable material.
Dated this 10th day of October 1889.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Applicable to Billiard Tables.
I, GEORGE LLOYD BERRY, of 16, Regency Street, in the City of Westminster.
Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to means for causing billiard-balls after falling into a
'pocket" to return to the "baulk" end of the table; its object being to save the
player or players, when no marker is employed, the trouble of fetching a ball from a
distant pocket and returning it to "baulk."
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a plan of a billiard table fitted with the present invention; part of the
slate bed being broken away to expose the means employed for causing the return of
a pocketed ball.
Fig. 2 is a corresponding longitudinal section.
In carrying out my invention, I provide on each side of the table and beneath the
pockets an inclined guide or track b; the corner pockets a³ being furnished with
similar inclined guides or tracks b¹. The tracks b and b¹ lead to a central track b
arranged beneath the slate bed c and terminating in a receptacle 63. The bottom of
each of the pockets a or a¹ is formed with an orifice large enough for a billiard-ball to
pass through. Each ball, when it falls into one of the pockets aforesaid, passes
through the orifice on to the corresponding inclined track 6 or b', along which it rolls,
under the influence of gravity, to the track 62, and over that track into the receptacle 68 ;
the latter being placed at a point easily accessible to the player.
Means may be provided for cutting off at pleasure the communication between the

page_text: guides or tracks and particular'pockets; as, for example, between the tracks b¹ and
the two corner pockets a¹ into which the ball is driven in playing the " spot" stroke.
It is unnecessary for the two bottom corner pockets a² at the "baulk" end to be in
communication with the receptacle 63; balls falling into these being within easy reach
of the player.
Where these tracks b and b¹ meet and join the central track 62, the sides of the
latter may be raised or inclined or the track may be covered to prevent balls from
running off.
The guides or tracks b, 61, and 62 may each be formed from a piece of wood hollowed
out to a trough-like form, or from two pieces of wood arranged V-shape, or from
sheet metal or metal rods or other suitable material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
For use with a billiard table, the herein-described means for causing a billiard-ball
after falling into a pocket to return automatically to the baulk end of the table; such
means comprising inclined guides or tracks, such as b, b', and 62, leading directly to a
receptacle, such as 63, placed at a point easily accessible to the player from baulk.
Dated this 30th day of June 1890.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.