Improvements in the Construction of Billiard Tables.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 27th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Billiard Tables.
We, THOMAS EACHUS RAPER, and JAMES RICHARDSON RAPER, both of 10 Hilton
Street, Manchester, Billiard Table Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
--
The improvements relate to the manufacture of billiard tables, and have for object
the more sightly and secure finish of those portions thereof which are held on or heid
together by means of large screws or bolts, the heads of which, in the ordinary mode
of manufacture, are sunk into the wood, and then covered with a wooden turned cap
or cover, fitting tightly into the recess. Such caps or covers are liable to become
loose as the wood dries in use, and to fall or be knocked out, broken or lost, and form
a drawback in the finish of billiard tables.
To remedy this defect, and to accomplish our improvements, we form a flanged
bush of metal which has the cylinder portion screw threaded, to enable a metallic cap,
or wooden cap, metal lined, to be screwed thereon or therein. The flanged portion of
this bush is provided with two or more holes at intervals around the circle, by which
means they are attached by small screws to the wood of the billiard table around the
screw bolts before named, and thus form a screw support for the metallic cap, which
may be ornamented at will, and is thereby in no way liable to be knocked off by
accident.
We prefer to not sink the metallic bush into the wood, but to allow the same to
project from the surface, for the more simple screwing on of the cap; but never-
theless the metallic bush may be sunk in if desired, or may form partly a washer
for the bolt head, or otherwise varied, without departing from the peculiar character
of the invention.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1889
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Billiard Tables.
We, THOMAS EACHUS RAPER, and JAMES RICHARDSON RAPER, both of 10 Hilton
Street, Manchester, Billiard Table Manufacturers, 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:-
The improvements relate to the manufacture of billiard tables, and have for object
the more sightly and secure finish to those portions thereof which are held on or held
together by means of large screws or bolts, the heads of which, in the ordinary mode
of manufacture, are sunk into the wood, and then covered with a wooden turned cap
or cover, fitting tightly into the recess.
Such caps or covers are liable to become loose as the wood dries in use, and to
fall or be knocked out, broken or lost, and form a drawback in the finish of billiard
tables.
To remedy this defect, and to accomplish our improvements, we form a flanged
bush of metal which has the cylinder portion screw threaded, to enable a metallic cap,
or wooden cap, metal lined, to be screwed thereon or therein. The flanged portion
of this bush is providel with two or more holes at intervals around the circle, by
which means they are attached by small screws to the wood of the billiard table
around the screw bolts before named, and thus form a screw support for the metallic

page_text: .
сар, which may be ornamented at will, and is thereby in no way liable to be knocked
off by accident.
We prefer to not sink the metallic bush into the wood, but to allow the same to
project from the surface, for the more simple screwing on of the cap, but nevertheless
the metallic bush may be sunk in if desired, or may form partly a washer for the bolt
head, or otherwise varied, without departing from the peculiar character of the
invention.
But that the improvements may be better understood, we will, by the aid of the
accompanying drawings proceed more fully to describe means employed by us.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a cap, or cover which may be of any form or design, and
composed of wood or metal, or a combination of both as in the example shewn.
Fig. 2. is an internal view of such cap when composed of wood and bushed with
metal. The metal bush a. a. which is screw threaded may be attached to the wood
portion of the cap by small screws as shewn, or it may be driven in tightly or other-
wise secured. Fig. 3 shews a section illustrating attachment of the whole to the
table. In this figure a. a. is the bush in the cap b. b. which bush enables the same to
be screwed on to the flanged bush c. c. which is attached to the table by small screws,
as at c¹ c¹. Fig. 4 shews a front view and Fig. 5 an edge view of the flanged bush
ready for attachment to the table, around a bolt head, and on which flanged bush the
cap is screwed, whether such cap be solid or metal bushed. Fig. 6, shews a cap and
Figs. 7 and 8 shew a flanged bush, where the latter is internally screw threaded, thus
reversing the screwing action by allowing the cap, or the bush of the cap, to screw
into, instead of on to the flanged bush.
Figs. 9 and 10 shew a flanged bush wherein the flange, being internal, may act as
a washer, which may be kept in position by the bolt itself.
We are aware that caps have been screwed on to the bolt heads of billiard tables as
witness our application for Patent No. 5383 and dated March 29th 1889 but this is
entirely different to this our present invention which enables us to use screw threaded
caps along with the ordinary bolts.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
The flanged bushes combined with the screwed caps, for the purpose of surrounding
and covering the bolt heads of billiard tables in manner and substantially as herein
.shewn and described.
Dated this 24th day of December 1900.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent.