Wheel chair abstract
A wheel chair-accessible billiard table having a table top with
a bottom being substantially parallel to the upper surface of the
table top, smooth, and free of any obstruction. A central support
column is below the table top, and the central support column is
on a base. The central support column has dimensions such that the
large wheels and pilot wheels of a wheel chair as well as the arm
rests of a wheel chair can be moved under the bottom of said table
top, and the base is low enough to avoid the foot rests of a wheel
chair while also having lateral dimensions such that a foot rest
of a wheel chair will contact the central support column before
a pilot wheel of the wheel chair contacts the base.
Wheel chair claims
I claim:
1. A wheel chair-accessible billiard table which comprises: a table
top having an edge, and upper surface, and a bottom with the bottom
being substantially parallel to the upper surface, smooth, and free
of any obstruction, said table top further comprising: a layer of
felt; a layer of slate under said layer of felt; a first layer of
wood below said layer of slate; a second layer of wood under said
first layer of wood; and a rail, having an inner edge, on top of
said layer of felt and adjacent to the edge of said table top; soft,
moveable pockets attached to said table top; a side cushion adjacent
to the inner edge of said rail; a central support column below said
table top, said central support column having a lateral surface
and having dimensions such that the large wheels and pilot wheels
of a wheel chair as well as the arm rests of a wheel chair can be
moved under the bottom of said table top; a base below said central
support column, said base being low enough to avoid the foot rests
of a wheel chair and having lateral dimensions such that a foot
rest of a wheel chair will contact said central support column before
a pilot wheel of the wheel chair contacts said base and said base
having a bottom and a lateral surface; and at least one bolt which
connects said table top to said base; and wherein: the bottom of
said table top is at least twenty-seven inches from the bottom of
said base; the lateral surface of said central support column is
at least nineteen inches from the edge of said table top; and said
base is no greater than 2.5 inches in height.
2. The wheel chair-accessible billiard table as recited in claim
1, further comprising: one or more bolts that hold said rail to
said layer of felt, said layer of slate, said first layer of wood,
and said second layer of wood.
3. A wheel chair-accessible billiard table which comprises: a table
top having an edge, and upper surface, and a bottom with the bottom
being substantially parallel to the upper surface, smooth, and free
of any obstruction; soft, moveable pockets attached to said table
top; a rail, having an inner edge, on top of said table top adjacent
to the edge of said table top; a side cushion adjacent to the inner
edge of said rail; a central support column below said table top,
said central support column having a lateral surface and having
dimensions such that the large wheels and pilot wheels of a wheel
chair as well as the arm rests of a wheel chair can be moved under
the bottom of said table top; a base below said central support
column, said base being low enough to avoid the foot rests of a
wheel chair and having lateral dimensions such that a foot rest
of a wheel chair will contact said central support column before
a pilot wheel of the wheel chair contacts said base and said base
having a bottom and a lateral surface; and at least one bolt which
connects said table top to said base; and wherein: the bottom of
said table top is at least twenty-seven inches from the bottom of
said base; the lateral surface of said central support column is
at least nineteen inches from the edge of said table top; and said
base is no greater than 2.5 inches in height.
4. The wheel chair-accessible billiard table as recited in claim
3, further comprising: one or more bolts for holding said rail to
a layer of felt, a layer of slate, a first layer of wood, and a
second layer of wood.
5. A wheel chair-accessible billiard table which comprises: a table
top having an edge, and upper surface, and a bottom with the bottom
being substantially parallel to the upper surface, smooth, and free
of any obstruction, said table top further comprising: a layer of
felt; a layer of slate under said layer of felt; a first layer of
wood below said layer of slate; a second layer of wood under said
first layer of wood; and a rail, having an inner edge, on top of
said layer of felt and adjacent to the edge of said table top; soft,
moveable pockets attached to said table top; a side cushion adjacent
to the inner edge of said rail; a central support column below said
table top, said central support column having a lateral surface
and having dimensions such that the large wheels and pilot wheels
of a wheel chair as well as the arm rests of a wheel chair can be
moved under the bottom of said table top; and a base below said
central support column, said base being low enough to avoid the
foot rests of a wheel chair and having lateral dimensions such that
a foot rest of a wheel chair will contact said central support column
before a pilot wheel of the wheel chair contacts said base and said
base having a bottom and a lateral surface; and wherein: the bottom
of said table top is at least twenty-seven inches from the bottom
of said base; the lateral surface of said central support column
is at least nineteen inches from the edge of said table top; and
said base is no greater than 2.5 inches in height.
6. The wheel chair-accessible billiard table as recited in claim
1, further comprising: one or more bolts that hold said rail to
said layer of felt, said layer of slate, said first layer of wood,
and said second layer of wood.
7. A wheel chair-accessible billiard table which comprises: a table
top having an edge, and upper surface, and a bottom with the bottom
being substantially parallel to the upper surface, smooth, and free
of any obstruction; soft, moveable pockets attached to said table
top; a rail, having an inner edge, on top of said table top adjacent
to the edge of said table top; a side cushion adjacent to the inner
edge of said rail; a central support column below said table top,
said central support column having a lateral surface and having
dimensions such that the large wheels and pilot wheels of a wheel
chair as well as the arm rests of a wheel chair can be moved under
the bottom of said table top; and a base below said central support
column, said base being low enough to avoid the foot rests of a
wheel chair and having lateral dimensions such that a foot rest
of a wheel chair will contact said central support column before
a pilot wheel of the wheel chair contacts said base and said base
having a bottom and a lateral surface; and wherein: the bottom of
said table top is at least twenty-seven inches from the bottom of
said base; the lateral surface of said central support column is
at least nineteen inches from the edge of said table top; and said
base is no greater than 2.5 inches in height.
8. The wheel chair-accessible billiard table as recited in claim
7, further comprising: one or more bolts for holding said rail to
a layer of felt, a layer of slate, a first layer of wood, and a
second layer of wood.
9. A wheel chair-accessible billiard table, which comprises: a
table top having an edge, and upper surface, and a bottom with the
bottom being substantially parallel to the upper surface, smooth,
and free of any obstruction, wherein said table top comprises: a
layer of felt; a layer of slate under said layer of felt; a first
layer of wood below said layer of slate; a second layer of wood
under said first layer of wood; and a rail, having an inner edge,
on top of said layer of felt and adjacent to the edge of said table
top; soft, moveable pockets attached to said table top; a side cushion
adjacent to the inner edge of said rail; a central support column
below said table top, said central support column having dimensions
such that the large wheels and pilot wheels of a wheel chair as
well as the arm rests of a wheel chair can be moved under the bottom
of said table top, wherein the lateral surface of said central support
column is at least nineteen inches from the edge of said table top;
a base below said central support column, said base being low enough
to avoid the foot rests of a wheel chair and having lateral dimensions
such that a foot rest of a wheel chair will contact said central
support column before a pilot wheel of the wheel chair contacts
said base and said base having a bottom and a lateral surface, wherein
the bottom of said table top is at least twenty-seven inches from
the bottom of said base and said base is no greater than 2.5 inches
in height; at least one bolt which connects said table top to said
base; and one or more bolts that hold said rail to said layer of
felt, said layer of slate, said first layer of wood, and said second
layer of wood.
Wheel chair description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a billiard table that can be used by
an individual who is utilizing a wheel chair.
2. Description of the Related Art
Billiard tables have been known for many years. The standard billiard
table cannot, however, be utilized by one sitting in a wheel chair.
Players in wheel chairs have to struggle to make shots that could
easily be made by a standing player. This is largely because a standard
billiard table prevents a player in a wheel chair from"facing
up" to a shot because their chairs and knees are blocked by
the traditional billiard table. The player in a wheel chair usually
must sit sideways or use a bridge to make a straight-on shot. Furthermore,
the underneath edges of the traditional or standard billiard table
are large, coarse, and rough so that they can tear clothing and
inflict injury to legs which have no feeling.
In summary, the traditional billiard table lacks clearance under
the table for wheel chairs and the legs of one occupying a wheel
chair, possesses a rough configuration under the billiard table
which can cause injury, has rigid pockets that present barriers
to a player in a wheel chair, employs table legs which prevent movement
of a wheel chair under the edge of the table, and uses a mainframe
and decorative aprons that prevent access by a wheel chair.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,781 discloses a game table that rises from
a central column. The construction of that game table is, however,
not such as to create a true, stable playing surface. Moreover,
the base t which the column is fastened would contact the pilot
(front) wheels of a wheel chair well be ore the foot rest of the
wheel chair would reach the column, thereby minimizing the ability
of the player to get near or extend the player's body partially
over the playing surface, as is often done in the game of billiards.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention supports the playing surface (table top)
of a billiard table with a central support column.
The column is of dimensions such that forward clearance of the
footrest of a wheel chair (and, consequently, the player-occupant's
knees) and vertical clearance for the seat of the wheel chair meet
the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Furthermore,
the large wheels and pilot wheels of the wheel chair as well as
the arm rests of the wheel chair can be moved under the bottom of
the table top, providing lap clearance that complies with the Americans
with Disabilities Act.
Notably, a base upon which the central support column preferably
rests and to which the central support column is preferably attached,
is low enough to avoid the foot rests of a wheel chair and has lateral
dimensions only slightly larger than those of the central support
column so that the foot rest of a wheel chair will contact the central
support column before the pilot wheels of the wheel chair contact
the base.
The preceding is accomplished while maintaining the playing surface
of the billiard table at a traditional or standard playing height.
And trueness as well as thinness of the top of the table is achieved
through the use of a layer of slate bolted to a wooden layer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a lateral view from a side of the Wheel Chair-accessible
Billiard Table.
FIG. 2 is a lateral view from an end of the Wheel Chair-accessible
Billiard Table.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the top of the Wheel Chair-accessible
Billiard Table taken along lines A--A in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred construction of
the central support column for the Wheel Chair-accessible Billiard
Table taken along lines B--B in FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an interior support tube in
a preferred construction of the central support column.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred construction of
the central support column for the Wheel Chair-accessible Billiard
Table taken along lines D--D in FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is a plan view of a traditional billiard table.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As portrayed in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the Wheel Chair-accessible Billiard
Table has a table top 7 on a central support column 26. The central
support column 26 is placed on a base 4.
The upper or playing surface 27 of the table top 7 has the traditional
configuration depicted in FIG. 7.
The pockets 3 attached to the table top 7 are soft and moveable
so that they will fold out of the way upon contact with a player's
knees or a wheel chair.
As mentioned above, the central support column 26 and the base
4 are of dimensions such that forward clearance of the footrest
of a wheel chair (and, consequently, the player-occupant's knees)
and vertical clearance for the seat of the wheel chair meet the
requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Thus, the large
wheels and pilot wheels of a wheel chair as well as the arm rests
of the wheel chair can be moved under the bottom 2 of the table
top 7.
The distance 6 between the edge 28 of the table top 7 and the lateral
surface 29 of the central support column 26 is at least 19 inches
and, preferably is 19 inches.
Additionally, the table top 7 is, as illustrated in FIG. 3, preferably
constructed of a layer of felt 14 having a layer of slate 15 underlying
the layer of felt with a first layer of wood 16 below the layer
of slate 15 and a second layer of wood 17 under said first layer
of wood 16. A rail 12 lies on top of the layer of felt 14 adjacent
to the edge 28, and bolts 11 preferably hold the rail 12 and the
various layers 14, 15, 16, and 17 together. This enables the table
top 7 to maintain trueness while also being thin enough (preferably
a distance 8 of 5 and 1/8 inches) that the upper surface 27 of the
table top 7 is at a traditional or standard playing height while
the vertical clearance discussed above is also achieved. The bottom
2 of the table top 7 is at least a distance 5 of 27 inches and,
preferably is 27 inches, from the bottom 30 of the base 4.
Bolting of the rail 12 also helps to assure that the rail 12 will
not loosen when wheel chair players utilize the rail 12 to pull
themselves around the Wheel Chair-accessible Billiard Table during
a game.
Adjacent to an inner edge 37 of the rail 12 is a side cushion 38.
Also as discussed above, the base 4 is low enough, preferably no
greater than 2.5 inches in height and most preferably 2.5 inches
in height, to avoid the foot rests of a wheel chair and has lateral
dimensions only slightly larger than those of the central support
column 26 so that the foot rest of a wheel chair will contact the
central support column 26 before the pilot wheels of the wheel chair
contact the base 4.
As shown in FIG. 4, the central support column 26 preferably comprises
two or more, preferably three, support tubes 19. Preferably, a backer
21 encloses all the support tubes 19. Also preferably, the backer
21 is composed of plywood and is 1/4 inch thick.
As seen in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, each support tube 19 has a retaining
plate 23 at the top end 31 of the support tube 19 and also at the
bottom end 32 of the support tube 19. Preferably each support tube
19 has a thickness of 1 and 1/4 inches.
At least one bolt 22 connects the two layers of wood 16, 17 to
the retaining plate 23 at the top 31 of the support tube 19, and
at least one bolt 22 connects the base 4 to the retaining plate
23 at the top 32 of the support tube 19. Additionally, at least
one, and preferably four, bolts 20 connect the first layer of wood
16 to the base 4.
Preferably, a pad 1 covers the backer 21 of the central support
column 26.
The base 4 preferably contains one or more apertures 18 for bolting
the base 4 to a floor.
The bottom 2 of the table top 7 is substantially parallel, and
is preferably parallel, to the upper surface 27 of the table top
7 and is preferably smooth. Furthermore, the bottom 2 is, from the
edge 28 of the table top 7 to the surface 29 of the central support
column 26 free of any obstruction.
Preferably, between the pockets 3 the edge 28 of the table top
7 is comprised of side caps 13 attached, preferably with fasteners
33, to the rail 12 and one of the layers of wood 16, 17 and preferably
having a top 34 that is level with the top 35 of the rail 12 and
a bottom 36 that is level with the bottom 2 of the table top 7.
Also preferably, all fasteners 33 and 11, 20, 22 are countersunk;
and, preferably, plastic caps 10, which also serve as division spots,
are placed on the rail 12 above each bolt 11.
The Wheel Chair-accessible Billiard Table preferably complies with
the BCA Equipment Specifications, which require the following:
Table sizes:
Pocket Billiard Tables . . . 4 by 8 and 4 1/2 by 9
Carom Billiard Tables . . . 4 1/2 by 9 and 5 by 10
American Snooker Tables . . . 4 1/2 by 9 and 5 by 10
Playing Area:
Measured from the cloth-covered nose of cushion rubber to the opposite
cushion rubber, both width and length:
4 by 8 table . . . playing area 44-inch width by 88-inch length
4 by 8 table . . . playing area of 46-inch width by 92-inch length
4 1/2 by 9 table . . . playing area of 56-inch width by 112-inch
length
BCA will sanction Tournament Play on Home and Coin-operated tables
produced in sizes other than those recognized above, if the playing
area width is one-half the length, measured cushion to opposite
cushion.
Table Bed Height:
The table bed playing surface, when measured from the bottom of
the table leg, will be 29 1/2 inches minimum to 31 1/2 inches maximum.
Pocket Openings and Measurements:
Pocket billiard tables: pocket openings are measured at two points--the
first being measured between opposing cushion noses where the direction
changes into the pocket (tip to tip). This is called the mouth.
The second point of measurement is at the narrowest point at the
back of the facing. This is called the throat.
Comer Pocket: Mouth . . . 4 7/8-inch minimum to 5 1/8-inch maximum
Throat . . . 4-inch minimum to 4 1/4-inch maximum
Side Pocket: Mouth . . . 5 1/8-inch minimum to 5 5/8-inch maximum
Throat . . . 4 3/8-inch minimum to 4 5/8-inch maximum
Vertical Pocket Angle 12.+-.1 Degree
Shelf: The shelf is measured from the center of the imaginary line
that goes from one side of the mouth to the other where the nose
of the cushion changes direction to the center of the vertical cut
of the slate pocket radius.
Shelf: Corner Pocket . . . 1 5/8-inch minimum to 1 7/8-inch maximum
Side Pocket . . . 0-inch minimum to 3/8-inch maximum
Drop Point Slate Radius: The pocket radius measured from the vertical
cut of the slate to the playing surface.
Drop Point Slate Radius . . . 1/8-inch r. minimum to 1/4-inch r.
maximum
Playing Bed:
The playing surface must be capable, either by its own strength
or a combination of its strength and that of the table baseframe,
of maintaining an overall flatness within.+-.0.020 inch lengthwise
and 0.010 inch across the width. Further, this surface should have
an additional deflection not to exceed 0.030 inch when loaded with
a concentrated static force of 200 pounds at its center. If more
than one slab is employed, the slab joints must be in the same plane
within 0.005 inch after leveling and shimming. The bed must be covered
with a billiard fabric, the major portion of which is made of wool,
with proper tension to avoid unwanted ball roll-off. Commercial
tables must have a three-piece set of one-inch slate with a wooden
frame of at least 1/4 inch attached to slate. All playing surfaces
must be secured t base frame with screws or bolts.
Cushion:
Rubber cushions should be triangular in shape and molded with the
conventional K-66 profile with a base of 1 1/16 inch and a nose
height of 1 inch, with control fabric molded to the top and base
area of the cushion. On carom billiard tables, the triangular K055
profile cushion is to be maintained, with the control fabric on
the underside of the cushion to effect a slower rebound action.
On snooker tables, the triangular K66 profile or L-shaped snooker
cushion is to be used. The balance of the rail section to which
the rubber cushion is glued should be of hardwood construction and
attached to the slate bed with a minimum of three (3) heavy duty,
threaded rail bolts per rail. |