Wheel-chair accessible billiard table

Details Wheel-chair accessible billiard table Wheel-chair accessible billiard table

2000-02-01

2004-03-23

Wong, Steven (Department: 3711)

Games using tangible projectile

Billiards or pool

Table or gameboard

C473S001000, C473S028000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06709341

ABSTRACT:

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.


REFERENCES:
patent: 383228 (1888-05-01), Jones
patent: 646264 (1900-03-01), Collins
patent: 675273 (1901-05-01), Fuller
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patent: 1528287 (1925-03-01), Ajello
patent: 1840203 (1932-01-01), Kimball
patent: 1967217 (1934-07-01), Amsden
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patent: 3658328 (1972-04-01), Kooker
patent: 3831941 (1974-08-01), Norman
patent: 4679509 (1987-07-01), Sampson, Jr.
patent: 4768781 (1988-09-01), McMillin
patent: 4989863 (1991-02-01), Hall

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