FR2741678A1 - SYSTEM FOR FIXING WITH RELEVANT KEY REMOVABLE STRIPS FOR TRANSFORMABLE BILLIARDS - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for fixing removable bands (5) on the frame (8) of a transformable billiard table (1), comprising a slate (3) normally covered with a mat (4), to constitute the area. of game (2) correctly cut to form the pockets of the Anglo-American game and on the other hand surrounded by a frame (8) secured to the upper surface of the edge of the slate (3) so as to receive the bands (5 ) adequate mounted glued on a support (6) resting on the slate (3) in horizontal support (62) and leaning against the frame (8) by a single vertical support face (81, 63) characterized in that that the securing of each support (6) to the fixed frame (8) is obtained by at least one attached key (10) and embedded vertically at the level of their bearing face (81, 63), for a part in the support ( 6) and, for the other, in the fixed frame (8), the transverse horizontal section of the key (10) being provided to provide horizontal self-tightening between the frame e (8) and the support (6).

Description

FIXED KEY FIXING SYSTEM FOR STRIPS
REMOVABLE FOR TRANSFORMABLE BILLIARDS
The present invention relates to a system for rapidly fixing removable game strips on the frame of billiards intended to be alternately transformed from a French game into an Anglo-American game or vice versa.

 French billiards are well known, which essentially comprises a flat slate covered with a felt determining the rolling area of the billiard balls either struck directly by the user's cane, or propelled by the impact of a another ball; in their movement, the billiard balls bounce off on lateral bands framing the playing area, said bands being made of rubber in order to promote the rebounds of the balls while losing as little of their momentum as possible.

 It is well known that such rebounds must be carried out without any vibration of the frame supporting the game bands, which requires a firm fixing of the band supports on the band support frames.

 One of the objectives of the invention is to be able to easily transform a French billiard into a so-called Anglo-American billiard, which differs from the first game in that it has six pockets making it possible to swallow balls as and when 'they appear at the four angles of the game and in the middle part of the long length of the billiards table; for the most part, the rules of the game of American billiards consists in sending in the six holes balls marked with a number of points, the largest sum of which will determine the winning player.

 Such a transformation only requires the removal of the four game bands conventionally fitted to French billiards and replacing them with six bands determining at their ends suitable access for the pockets of Anglo-American games.

 It is easily understood that such a transformation must be made as quickly as possible and above all as easily as possible while retaining its essential quality at play, namely the rigidity of fixing these parts relative to the slate of the game.

Many solutions have already been proposed in the past. This is for example the case of the French patent
FR-2.705.034 which proposes a device for fixing removable bands on the frame of billiard games of the French, American or English type, characterized in that this fixation is obtained by means of a plate carried on the cooperating removable bands with a locking assembly supported by the frames so that they can be assembled by simply overlapping the plate on the axis of the locking system, the plate being kept in tension on the axis by means of a spring arranged on the same axis. This previous solution has the advantage of not having to resort to a device for fixing by screws or bolts, since the cooperation is done according to a technique coming under the category of joints by tenon / mortise; it is also well understood the simplicity of the assembly / disassembly operations of the game strips since it suffices to engage them vertically downwards to mount them, to pull them upwards to dismantle them. The assembly is still attractive in that the mechanical strength seems assured in the horizontal plane.

 However, such a solution has many drawbacks and in addition to the particularly high cost of mounting the pads on one side, spring studs on the other, the device is ill-suited for an assembly which must first promote contact almost perfect between the strip holder and the fixed frame surrounding the playing area. We know that poor contact between the vertical bearing faces of these two parts will almost necessarily generate very harmful vibrations when the balls hit on the rebound strips making their trajectory uncertain to say the least; however, it must be admitted that the previously proposed solution inevitably results in deteriorating the contact of the carriers with the fixed frame since, the fixing plates coming to bear on the counter washer of the tenon, create a vertical excess thickness at least equal to the thickness said washer, except to provide an embedding of all these metal parts which makes such a solution prohibitive economically and makes other prior solutions significantly more attractive.

 The present invention aims precisely to provide a device for fixing the removable strips for the transformation of billiards falling into the same category as the previous solution previously exposed, constituting another solution that is both effective, inexpensive, and nevertheless having all the aforementioned advantages. in the solution mentioned above.

 In this regard, the invention provides a system for attaching removable game strips to the billiard frame of a billiard provided to be alternately transformed from a French game into an Anglo-American game and vice versa, comprising a flat slate normally covered of a felt mat, to constitute the playing area which is on the one hand correctly cut to form the pockets of the Anglo-American game and on the other surrounded by a band-carrying frame secured to the upper surface of the edge of the slate so as to receive the appropriate play strips, mounted glued on a strip support coming to rest on the slate by a horizontal support face and lean against the strip support frame by a single support face vertical, this fixing system being characterized in that the joining of each strip support to the fixed frame is obtained by at least one key fitted and vertically embedded at their bearing face for a pa rtie in the band support and for the other, in the fixed frame, the cross section of the key being provided to provide a horizontal self-tightening between the frame and the support.

 I1 immediately appears that no part of the fastening system according to the invention is in any way interposed between the vertical support faces of the band supports and of the fixed frame which could cause a support imbalance which is very prejudicial to rebound. balls as we have seen; neither does the fixing system according to the invention require any surface embedding intended to escape one or the other of the connecting elements; on the contrary, one of the essential advantages of the invention is to make such a connection by means of a minimum of mechanical and machining parts for their installation.

 Advantageously and according to the preferred variant of the invention, the cross section of the added key is generally X-shaped, providing the same effects of two dovetails mounted head to tail coming to be embedded in vertical mortises of homothetic section machined facing each other on the contacting faces of the band holder and the fixed frame.

 It is easily understood that the mounting of the strip support by sliding on its dovetail part left projecting from the vertical support face of the fixed frame, said key having been previously embedded in the opposite dovetail in the mortise of the frame, is particularly effective since it provides the desired horizontal connection on the one hand, and on the other hand it contributes to self-tightening of the support on the frame thanks to the inclined sides of the dovetails whose arrangement in head to tail tends at all times to bring the two parts thus assembled towards each other.

The invention will be better understood and other characteristics and advantages will emerge even better from the description which will now be given by way of preferred and nonlimiting example of the fixing system according to the invention with reference to the appended drawing in which
- Figure 1 is a top view of a billiard transformable either in French game corresponding to the upper half-view, or in Anglo-American game according to the lower half-view, showing in a partial view a transverse horizontal section of the added key.

 - Figure 2 is a schematic view in partial section II / II of Figure 1, showing the detail of the key fastening system and showing in a cutaway the particular shape of the key shown in perspective on an enlarged scale for better understanding.

 In accordance with FIG. 1 where there are shown in two half-views from above the two main configurations of billiards 1 according to the invention, namely above configuration in French game, and below configuration in Anglo-American game, billiards 1 is essentially composed of a playing surface 2 generally formed from a slate plate 3 covered with a felt mat 4 intended to promote the almost perfect and noiseless rolling of billiard balls , the number of which varies with the type of game desired.

 According to the French game, the playing area 2 is delimited on its entire periphery by uninterrupted rubber bands 5; these rubber bands ensure the rebound of the billiard balls propelled directly by the user's cane or indirectly, by successive shocks.

 The rubber bands 5 are mounted, conventionally by gluing, on a band support part 6, having for this purpose a longitudinal face 61 inclined upwards on which the front face of the playing band 5, including the conventional one, adjusts triangular section offers billiard balls at the time of the rebound a very limited support surface so that the ball keeps as much as possible its momentum in shock.

 According to the representation of section II-II given in FIG. 2, the band support 6 has a horizontal base 62 and a vertical bearing face 63.

Incidentally, the band support 6 and the band 5 are covered by a piece of textile similar to that of the carpet 4; this cover is shown in Figure 2 in long dotted lines; a first end of this cover is embedded in a housing 64 provided on the vertical bearing face 63 of the part 6, the other end being fitted between the horizontal bearing face 62 of the part 6 and the mat 4 covering the slate 3.

 Conventionally, the band holder frame 8 is secured to the slate 3 by a series of screws 9.

 In accordance with the main object of the invention, the strip support 6 is backed by its vertical face 63 to a bearing face 81 of the fixed frame 8 provided for this purpose on the side of the playing surface 2, this flat and vertical surface coming exactly in coincidence with the support face 63 of the support 6.

 According to the invention, the connecting member between the support 6 and the fixed frame 8 is advantageously obtained by at least one added key 10, the general shape of which is shown in a cutaway view in FIG. 2.

 The fixing system then consists in providing both on the vertical support face 81 of the fixed frame 8 and the vertical support face 63 of the support 6, two grooves 65, 83 facing each other in the support 6 and in the fixed frame 8, machined from the bases 82, 62 of the fixed frame 8 and of the support 6 along a vertical axis and over a height advantageously corresponding to two thirds of the total thickness of the frame 8 and of the support 6 in correspondence; the horizontal transverse section of the internal grooves 65, 83 is of the dovetail mortise type whose general dimensions coincide as exactly as possible with the section of the key 10 by the horizontal plane (x, y) presented on the tearing of Figure 2.

 According to a preferred variant of the invention, the key 10 as shown in the cutaway of Figure 2 is preferably, although not exclusively, made of a plastic material molded into general shapes capable of engaging almost without play in the times in the groove 65 of the support 6 and in the groove 83 of the fixed frame 8 so that these two parts are secured by their vertical faces 63,81.

 The particular X shape of the key 10, that is to say the shape of the horizontal section in double dovetail mounted head to tail, contributes to causing a self-tightening between the support part 6 and the fixed frame 8; indeed, any horizontal effort tending to separate the two parts thus linked, is immediately opposed to the reaction of the four vertical inclined planes 101 of the key 10; ultimately, the vertical plane of contact between the parts thus linked is constantly brought back into the vertical plane of symmetry (y, z) of the key 10, that is to say at the level of the greatest narrowing of said key.

 Incidentally, the four vertical inclined planes 101 of the key 10 are advantageously provided with vertical and parallel ridges 102 which contribute to creating additional reaction elements for the horizontal tearing forces and therefore contribute to improved rigidity in the fixing of the together.

 According to another important characteristic of the invention, the key 10 has a flat base 103 normally resting on the carpet 4 of the slate 3; similarly, the lateral surfaces 104 and 105 are in principle flat so as to come completely adjacent to the bottom of the grooves 65, 83 machined respectively in the support 6 and the fixed frame 8.

 The machining of these grooves 65,83 being carried out by means of milling cutters and insofar as these same grooves 65,83 are practiced only on approximately two thirds of the thickness of the parts 6,8, it appears that l the upper internal imprint of said grooves 65, 83 has the general shape of a half-dovetail directly derived from the imprint of the milling cutter; it is therefore entirely advantageous to use this upper mortise to perfect the connection by the key 10 provided that the latter has an equivalent upper end shape: this is why the upper end 106 along the z axis of Figure 2 shows the general shape of a V in a front view as shown in the main section of Figure 2, the side branches of the V being actually rounded which avoids a break in continuity between the two vertical faces inclined 101 of each of each dovetail mounted head to tail.

 It is clearly understood after the description which has just been made of the elements entering the fixing system according to the invention, that such an assembly is inexpensive insofar as it requires only a few millings also distributed over the holders. bands 6 and, in correspondence, on the fixed frame 8 as well as some X-shaped keys which may be of the type of those which have just been described which it is easy to manufacture in large numbers for a very low cost.

 It is also well understood the succession of steps to obtain the modification of a French game into an Anglo-American game and vice versa: removal of the bands from the game in progress by simple detachment thereof and vertical withdrawal to release them upwards. connecting keys, then rests new strips conforming to another set by vertical engagement on the part of the keys which remain projecting in line with the bearing face of the fixed frame 8 of the billiard table.

 Such a connection is remarkable in that it does not require any tool to carry out a transformation which nevertheless remains extremely advantageous insofar as the quality of fixation approaches fairly widely more traditional bindings avoiding all vibrations of which all the nuisances are known.

 Of course, any secondary variants or any equivalent means which have not been fully described above would naturally fall within the scope of the present invention; it may be a question of replacing the grooves which do not open upwards by grooves made all along the parts to be connected which provide a certain number of the advantages of the present invention, but constitute an unsightly solution. We could also conceive of a less sophisticated X-shaped key shape by not giving the particular V-shape at its upper end with the advantage of being able to manufacture long lengths of keys which could then be cut to good length for use in accordance with teachings of the invention.

Claims (9)

 1 - System for fixing removable game strips (5) on the strip holder frame (8) of a billiard table (1) designed to be alternately transformed from a French game into an Anglo-American game and vice versa, comprising a flat slate (3) normally covered with a felt mat (4), to constitute the play area (2) which is on the one hand correctly cut to form the pockets of the Anglo-American game and on the other surrounded by a strip-carrying frame (8) secured to the upper surface of the edge of the slate (3) so as to receive the appropriate play strips (5) mounted glued on a strip support (6) coming to rest on the slate (3) by a horizontal support face (62) and lean against the strip holder frame (8) by a single vertical support face (81,63) characterized in that the joining of each strip support (6) to the fixed frame (8) is obtained by at least one added key (10) and embedded vertically at their bearing face ( 81, 63), for a part in the band support (6) and, for the other, in the fixed frame (8), the horizontal transverse section of the key (10) being provided to provide horizontal self-tightening between the frame (8) and the support (6).  2 - system for fixing game strips according to the preceding claim characterized in that the transverse horizontal section of the key (10) has the general shape of an X providing the effects of two dovetails mounted head to tail, coming just fit into two vertical mortises (65,83) of the same section machined facing each other on the faces (81,63) in contact with the band support (6) and the fixed frame (8).  3 - system for fixing game bands according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the height of the added key (10) is less than the thickness in the vertical direction of the frame (8) or of the band support (6) at their face in contact.  4 - system for fixing game strips according to claim 3 characterized in that the mortises (65,83) are not through and extend over the same height as the key (10) from the base (82,62) of the frame (8) or of the band support (6) in contact with the slate (3).  5 - System for fixing game bands according to the preceding claim characterized in that the height of the mortises (81,65) is at least equal to half the thickness of the band support (6) and advantageously equal to two thirds .  6 - System for fixing game strips according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the key (10) in X has two flat lateral faces (104, 105) passing through the straight lines joining the upper ends of the X on the one hand , the lower ends of the X on the other hand.  7 - system for fixing play strips according to claim 6 characterized in that the key (10) has a flat bottom base perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of symmetry and perpendicular to the two lateral faces (104, 105), and an upper end ( 106) curved in the center giving in vertical section the shape of two half-dovetails mounted head to tail.  8 - system for fixing game strips according to claim 7 characterized in that the upper imprint of the machining of the mortises (65,83) not emerging from the frame (8) and the support (6) widens towards the inside and upwards in a shape coinciding with each half dovetail of the upper end (106) of the X-shaped key (10).  9 - system for fixing game strips according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that all the inclined planes (101, 106) of the X-shaped key (10) are provided with a succession of ridges (102) parallel to the edges lateral faces (104) extending as far as the most constricted central zone of the key (10).