Covers for casino gaming table playing surfaces and methods of manufacturing and installing the same

Abstract

A laminated cover for a casino gaming table, methods of manufacturing the cover, and methods of installing the cover are shown and described. The laminated cover includes a fabric sheet and a backing member adhered together. The laminated cover can be shaped to correspond to the shape of the gaming table. The fabric side of the laminated cover is printed to add features that are typically found on casino gaming tables such as betting circles or numbered squares. The features can be registered with respect to either the shape of the laminated cover or some other reference datum. In either aspect, the features on the cover will be consistently located with respect to the gaming table after each successive placement of the cover on the table.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present description generally relates to casino gaming table covers, methods of producing these covers, and methods of installing these covers. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Casino gaming table surfaces have been traditionally covered with a felt-type, rubber-backed material that is stretched and adhered onto an upper surface of the gaming table. The gaming table covers are usually made from a combination of wool and nylon provided on a backing of rubber or similar material. The covers include playing surface features placed on the fabric-side of the cover with silkscreen or dye printing techniques. The playing surface features can be, for example, betting circles that identify where a player's wagers must be placed during a game of Blackjack, numbered squares that correspond to a given number on a Roulette wheel and further identify the location for the placement of a player's wagers; and othe...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] In the drawings, identical reference numbers identify similar elements or acts. The size and relative positions of elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the shapes of various elements are not drawn to scale, and some of these elements are arbi

Problems solved by technology

The gaming table covers are subject to a substantial amount of wear due to patron interaction, for example, sliding wagering chips across the surface of the gaming table cover, leaning on the cover, or even spilling a drink on the cover.

Hence, the gaming table covers often require routine and frequent replacement.

Replacing a gaming table cover can be a fairly time and labor-intensive process.

Because the covers are usually glued onto the gaming table surface, removal of the worn cover can be difficult.

Improper stretching can result in betting circles having an elliptical (egg) shape or squares having a rectangular shape or skewed appearance, for example.

In addition to the labor required to install a new playing surface cover onto a gaming table, other adjustments may also be necessary, which can further add to the replacement time and labor expenses.

Thus, when the gaming table cover is replaced, the existing method of stretching the cover over the gaming table may result in at least some of the features of the cover being disproportionate or out of alignment with respect to those same features on the previously removed cover.

However, even if this latter approach is successful, it increases the cost and the time to complete the installation of the gaming table cover.

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