In the accompanying engravings, we illustrate two important
improvements in the construction of billiard tables, which have
recently been devised by Mr. H. W. Collender, the well known billiard
table manufacturer of this city. The first, which is represented in
Fig. 1, relates to the construction of the bed-supporting frame, and
aims to render the same stronger while cheapening its manufacture.
In putting together the body and framework of the table, the usual
practice is to cut away the stock of the cross beam and longitudinal
beam, and halve them together. Longitudinal grooves are also formed on
the inner surface of the side and "broad rails," to accommodate tenons
on the ends of the cross beams; and the latter are secured in place
by bolts fastening their ends to the broad rails. Mr. Collender claims
that, by this mode of construction, not only are the cross beams
weakened by being halved together, but the broad rails are also
weakened by the cutting away of this stock near the middle to effect
the framing into them of the ends of the cross beams.
[Illustration: Fig 1, billiard table support frame]
From Fig. 1, it will be seen that the cross beam, A, is combined with
the side broad rails in the following manner: Upon the inner face of
each broad rail is secured a cast iron socket piece, B, into which
fits one end of the cross beam, A. From said beam the bolt, C, passes
through the shoe, B, and is secured by a nut, D, let into the stock of
the broad rail. The shoe, B, has lugs which enter the broad rail; and
the aperture in it, through which the bolt passes, is made oblong to
admit of the drawing of the parts together after the insertion of the
bolt. Upon the sides of the cross beam near the middle, and directly
opposite each other, are two shoes, E; these have no bolt holes. In
them are placed the adjacent ends of the longitudinal beams, F, the
other extremities of which are seated in shoes on the broad rails.
The shoes, E, have their lugs of such a length, compared with the
thickness of cross beam, A, that when put in place on said beam said
lugs will come together. The advantage of this is that, should the
beam, A, shrink in width, the shoes on each side of it will still
maintain their proper relation to form immovable abutments for the
ends of pieces, F. This construction allows of shorter stuff being
used in the manufacture, and renders the framework stronger.
[Illustration: Figure 2, billiard table frame corner]
In Fig. 2 is illustrated a new method of forming the corners of the
table. Hitherto it has been customary to use corner blocks, of various
sizes according to the dimensions of the table, located one at each
corner. Into these the broad rails were framed and secured. To this
arrangement Mr. Collender adduces a long category of objections, based
on the possibility of the weight of the bed being thrown on these
blocks in case of shrinkage of the frame, on the fact that the corner
of the table bed must necessarily be left without any support where
it extends over the upper end of the corner block, and also that in
a bevel table, in which the area of the top of the corner block is
unavoidably much greater than that of the top of the corner block of
a vertical-sided table, a large portion of the table bed will be left
without any support.
The new device consists of a cast iron union plate, G, which is bolted
to the leg as shown. The broad rails and casting are securely fastened
by the bolt, H. It will be seen that this bolt, passing through the
end of one broad rail, and into a nut let into the other rail,
will securely draw and hold together the ends of said rails and the
interposed metal plate clamped between them, and that as the plain
ends of the wooden rails just fit (widthwise) between the projecting
heads on the edges of said interposed plate, the latter will form a
sort of housing for the ends of the rails. And it will be understood
that in this construction not only does the bead on the outer edge of
the plate overlap the edges of the rails and form a neat and durable
corner finish to the body, but the broad rails being bolted together
in the direction of the grain of the wood with only an interposed
metal plate, there will be no tendency to a loosening of the union of
the parts of the frame. The main importance of this invention rests
in the idea of dispensing with the usual corner blocks, and thus
permitting the top edges of the broad rails, on which the bed rests,
to practically come together and afford a perfect support to the bed
clear out to the corners of the latter; at the same time the whole
structure is rendered stronger and more durable with less weight of
material.
These inventions are the subject of separate patents, that of the
first being dated April 4, 1876, and of the second, November 16, 1875.
For further information, address the manufacturer and patentee, Mr. H.
W. Collender, 738 Broadway, New York city.
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