Outdoor pool table

Abstract

The outdoor pool table has a top (1) with openings (2) for balls (3), wherein recoil walls (4) reflecting the balls (3) are attached to all top (1) edges, while recesses (5) are formed in said walls (4), surrounding the openings (2) in the top (1) intended for the balls (3) from the outside. The top is formed as a slab with Portland cement as the binder and is placed on legs attached to the substrate. The top (1) of the table is a slab (1.1) made of a mixture containing between 20% and 30% by weight of wood splinters, between 50% and 74% by weight of Portland cement, between 5% and 15% by weight of water and between 1 % and 5% by weight of hydration additives. The walls (4) are strips (7) made of glued granulate of cross-linked polymer-based elastomers and said strips (7) contain a rigid flat profile (7.1) on the side on which the wall (4) is fixed to the top (1) edge with measures (8) fixing said walls (4) to the edge of the slab (1.1) of the top (1). Each leg (6) has the form of a trapeze, the parallel bases of which (6.5, 6.6) and oblique sides (6.7) are connected sections of a closed shape profile. The top (1) of the table rests on the longer bases (6.5) of both legs (6), which are attached to the substrate using feet (6.1) fixed to the shorter bases (6.6) of both legs (6) in the form of trapezes. The top (1) has a rubber layer (9) on its surface.

Description

[0001] Outdoor pool table

[0002] The subject of the invention is an outdoor pool table, intended in particular for use outside confined spaces. The term outdoor means that the table according to the invention is intended in particular for placement outside buildings, in open spaces or only in areas under roof, although its placement in enclosed premises or providing walls and a roof around it after a certain period of use is not excluded.

[0003] A range of pool table designs intended for outdoor use is known. The requirements for such designs include resistance to outdoor conditions in terms of weather conditions, but also resistance of table elements to damage during use and outside of its intended use. This should also be understood as resistance to wilful damage, where table damage is the intent in itself.

[0004] A pool table is disclosed in the solution known from the international patent application WO 2007 / 083220. The table includes many modular structural elements and is intended for indoor and outdoor use. The elements include four vertical, longitudinal corner sections, side wall locking elements, ball return system, four table legs and four longitudinal rail sections. The side wall elements according to this known solution may include a U-shaped profile made of extruded aluminium and a flange with a locking slider oriented inwards, as well as the second flange with a coupling guide protruding outwards and used with the embossing on the neighbouring structural element. Under the top according to this known solution there are oblique planes formed as a chute terminated with an opening allowing the collection of balls which have fallen into the pockets. The table top is provided with eight absorbing rails nailed to the internal side edges. According to this solution, the table top with the sides can be tilted using hinges attached to the longer top edge. In another solution known from the patent disclosure no. EP 0696559, a concrete slab intended for the construction of a pool table was disclosed, made of a cement mix containing a mixture of Portland cement, clay cement and an anti-shrink additive, fine sand fraction 0-8 mm, selected gravel aggregate fraction 8-20 mm and a filler made of long, synthetic fibres as a special hydraulic binder. The aforementioned concrete slab is made of several panels joined using shaped connectors. Each of the panels contains a system of electric heating cables and a metal reinforcement. The filler is also a material with high bulk density, adequate for achieving the relative density of the entire slab higher than 2.6. A thin layer of a shock-resistant coating is applied on the surface of the ready slab. The filler made of material with high density in this known solution is basalt gravel and / or barite introduced into the cement mix, or a filler in the form of FeB 44 type metal bars with increased adhesion.

[0005] Another known patent document no. US 9,162,136 discloses an outdoor billiards device. It includes a circumferential frame which may be placed on the edge of a rectangular polymer mat, whereas said mat thus surrounds the play area and provides the sides surrounding the pool table. Said frame includes several side pockets. Each of the balls moving across the polymer surface may be directed to each of the respective corner and side pockets.

[0006] Another publication of the patent document US 5161797 discloses another solution of an outdoor pool table, including legs, frame, play top and side and terminal walls made of concrete. The pool table according to this known solution has a frame supported on the legs, the play top and side and end walls fixed to the play area, wherein each of the walls has a slit extending generally along its length and is provided with a fixing strip intended for fit installation inside the slit in order to hold the edge of felt present on the play area within the slit. The supporting legs, the frame and the wall are made of concrete. The play top area is made of a mixture of construction mortar, Portland cement and strips of synthetic fibres and is cast over a plexi glass panel. Battens made of wood resistant to weather conditions stretch generally along the lengths of the play area edge and felt applied onto the play area surface is attached to these wood battens. Each of the walls is provided with two slits, each of which is provided with a fixing strip. One slit stretches along the bottom side of the top wall part and the strip fixes the felt covering the play area. The second slit stretches along the top surface of the wall, while the strip fixes the felt over the surface of the play wall. Each wall includes a top part generally stretching vertically and a bottom part stretching virtually vertically, wherein the fixing support placed inside the wall is provided with a horizontal arm distal against the play area and a vertical arm extending from the horizontal arm, partially towards the bottom part. The comers and the middle part of the table top include pockets forms as holes for the balls.

[0007] According to another solution disclosed in the international application no. WO 82 / 02002, a pool table intended for outdoor installation includes a top with walls and legs on which the top is supported. The top and the legs are made of a single concrete cast, in particular of architectural concrete. The load-bearing slab is made of flocked plastic and placed on the ground top surface or affixed to it. The walls are installed on the sides of the top. The circumferential wall elements include at least partially rigid foam. The load-bearing slab is made of plastic, flocked on two sides. Ball ducts are located under the table top. The ducts are inclined towards one or several points under the top. The walls are made of an elastomeric material and are permanently embedded in the concrete material of the top. The walls have a protrusion undercut at the bottom edge in order to be anchored in the table top.

[0008] Another solution known from the patent document FR 2594703 discloses a concrete pool table with the play area limited with elastomeric strips and supported on four legs. The concrete body with a paralellepiped volume with a base, two longitudinal sides and two short sides is supported on four concrete legs and supports a concrete top. The play area is delimited by elastic bands affixed to the concrete walls. The wall is installed at two longitudinal sides and two transverse sides of the top.

[0009] The object of the invention is to develop a pool table design intended for outdoor use. The table should meet the conditions for resistance to weather conditions, including resistance to temperature changes, as well as to external actions of the users to the largest possible extent. The problem to be solved includes the achievement of such properties of the working surface of the table intended for pool play, which meet the properties of a pool table intended for use inside premises, where the surface of the table is lined with baize slowing down the ball. The term ball used in this patent disclosure applies to balls commonly used in cue games. The surface lined with baize slows the rolling ball down. The objective of the invention also includes the development of a surface and hardness of the table lining such that this property is achieved on a rubber surface.

[0010] According to the invention, the outdoor pool table has a top with ball openings, wherein recoil walls reflecting the balls are attached to all top edges, while recesses are formed in said walls, surrounding the top openings intended for the balls from the outside. The top is formed as a slab with Portland cement as the binder and is placed on legs attached to the substrate.

[0011] According to the invention, the outdoor pool table is characterised in that the table top is a slab made of mixture containing 20% to 30% by weight of wood splinters, 1 mm to 10 mm long, 50% to 74% by weight of Portland cement, 5% to 15% by weight of water and 1 % to 5% by weight of hydration additives, while the walls are provided as strips made of cross-linked polymer-based elastomer granulate glued using polyurethane adhesive, with grain size of 0.2 mm to 4 mm and such strips include a rigid flat profile with means affixing said strips to the slab edge on the side on which the wall is affixed to the top edge, while the slab is covered between the strips with a rubber layer 2 mm to 5 mm thick and 60 to 90 Shore hardness, the edges of which are affixed to the slab edges using means affixing the walls to the top edge.

[0012] The granulate of cross-linked polymer elastomers is glued into a strip, preferably using polyurethane adhesive.

[0013] The layer of rubber on the working surface intended for playing is characterised by roughness Ra between 10 pm and 20 pm, and surface waviness Wt between 150 pm and 300 pm.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the solution according to the invention, the rubber layer is installed at the edge of the table slab using springs. In a preferred embodiment of the solution according to the invention, each leg has the shape of a trapeze, the parallel bases and oblique sides of which are connected section of a closed profile, wherein the table top rests on the longer bases of both legs installed on the substrate using feet attached to the shorter bases of both trapeze-shaped legs.

[0015] The rubber layer material is preferably an elastomer cross-linked in a sulphur or peroxide vulcanisation process, containing ethylene-propylene-diene monomers.

[0016] According to the invention, the design of the outdoor pool table was developed. Tests showed that the table according to the invention meets the assumed resistance conditions appropriate for outdoor use. By selecting the hardness of the rubber layer and other surface properties, such as roughness and waviness it was unexpectedly found the working surface properties of the surface layer of the table top correspond to the properties of a pool table, usually covered with baize and intended for indoor use in terms of slowing down a rolling ball.

[0017] The object of the invention is presented in an embodiment in the attached drawing, in which individual figures of the drawing represent as follows: Fig. 1 - a perspective view of the pool table, Fig. 2 - a table according to Fig. 1 in the top view,

[0018] Fig. 3 - a table according to Fig. 1 viewed towards the longer side edge,

[0019] Fig. 4 - a table according to Fig. 1 viewed towards the shorter side edge,

[0020] Fig. 5 - a half-view of a half-cross-section through the table according to Fig. 1 ,

[0021] Fig. 6 - a table according to Fig. 1 in a bottom perspective view, Fig. 7 - a cross-section through the table top across a plane parallel to the shorter edge,

[0022] Fig. 8 - a cross-section through the table across a plane according to Fig. 7, Fig. 9 - a detail of Fig. 8 used to adjust the table leg foot,

[0023] Fig. 10 - a magnified detail indicating cooperation of the ball with the rubber layer. Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an example embodiment of the outdoor pool table according to the invention, while Fig. 2 shows the same embodiment of the pool table in a top view. The flat top 1 contains in this embodiment six openings 2 for balls 3. The openings 2 are laid out in a system known from the design of known pool tables. The term ball known from pool games denotes a single ball, the specific number and colour of which are used according to the rules of such games. In another embodiment of the table, a different number or layout of openings in the top 1 of the table cannot be excluded. In this embodiment, the table is an eight foot variation with the dimensions of 129 cm x 228 cm. In other embodiments, the dimensions of the table according to the invention may be different.

[0024] Recoil walls 4 for balls 3 are affixed to all edges of the top 1 . The walls 4 include known edges 4.1 placed above the top 1 of the table, against which balls 3 are reflected according to the intent of the pool player. The wall 4 edges are above the surface of the rubber layer intended for playing, at a height at least equal to the radius of the ball. The term ball used in this patent disclosure applies to balls commonly used in cue games. Recesses 5 surrounding the openings 2 for balls are formed in said walls 4 on the inner side of the table, preventing the balls from falling outside the table edge. In this embodiment, a cue stick holder 4.2 and a holder 4.3 for drinks in bottles or cups is fixed to one of the longer table edges. This is shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Fig. 1 also shows legs 6 on which the table according to the invention is supported.

[0025] Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the table viewed towards the longer edge, to which the cue stick placement holder 4.2 and the drink holder 4.3 are fixed. Two legs 6 on which the table top is supported are shown here. Fig. 4 shows the table in the same embodiment, but viewed along the shorter edge. This Figure shows the trapezoid shape of the legs 6, made of welded sections of a closed profile with rectangular cross-section. Similar to other components of the table frame, the profile in this embodiment is made of steel sheet and are prevented against corrosion in a known manner. In other embodiments, these table components may have a different form. Legs 6 are placed on the substrate on feet 6.1 embedded in legs 6 using set screws 6.2 showed in more detail in Fig. 9. Thanks to the use of rotary set screws 6.2 in adjustable height feet 6.1 , the table can be levelled, as this is required for pool games.

[0026] Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the table according to the invention in an embodiment, in a half-view and a half-cross-section. The same table is shown in Fig. 6 in a bottom perspective view. Legs 6 are attached to the frame supporting the top 1 . The frame, on the side edges of which the edges of the top 1 are supported, is assembled from two connected long brackets 6.3 joined using short transverse brackets 6.4. The long brackets 6.3 and the short brackets 6.4 together form a support, on which the slab 1 .1 of the table top 1 rests. The edges of the slab 1 .1 of the top 1 coincide with the edges of the frame described above, assembled using connected long brackets 6.3 and short brackets 6.4. The slab 1 .1 of the top 1 is fixed to the frame described above using known connectors, for example bolts placed in the area where walls 4 contact this slab 1.1.

[0027] The slab 1 .1 of the top 1 in this embodiment has an example thickness of 30 mm. The top 1 of the table is provided at the bottom with mesh holders 2.1 formed as ball 3 baskets for balls which fell into the openings 2. These holders are shown in Fig. 6 and are also depicted in Fig. 2. In this embodiment, a ball 2 driven into the opening 2 should be removed from the basket comprising the mesh holder 2.1 . In other embodiments, the table according to the invention may be executed with an inertia ball 3 rolling system from the baskets comprising the holders 2.1 to a shared container.

[0028] As mentioned above, the top 1 of the table is a slab 1.1 , 30 mm thick in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the slab is made of a mixture containing from 20% by weight of 4 mm long wood splinters, 74% by weight of Portland cement, 5% by weight of water and 1 % by weight of hydration additives. In another embodiment, the top 1 is made of a mixture containing 30% by weight of wood splinters, 50% by weight of Portland cement, 15% by weight of water and 5% by weight of hydration additives.

[0029] Walls 4 which are made as elastic strips made of cross-linked elastomer granulate with grain size of 2 mm are fixed to all edges of the top 1 , in the form of strips 7 made of technical rubber designated as EPDM or of SBR rubber in other embodiments. In this embodiment, these strips 7 contain a rigid flat profile 7.1 with measures 8 fixing these walls 4 to the top 1 edge on the side of wall 4 base. In this embodiment, the flat profile has the form of a steel batten embedded into the strip 7 of the wall. The fixing measures 8 are bolts installed on the flat profile 7.1 and fixed to the slab 1.1 comprising the table top 1 . The slab 1 .1 of the top 1 is covered between the walls 4 with a rubber layer 9, the edges of which are fixed to the edges of the slab 1 .1 of the wall 1 using measures 8 fixing said walls 4 to the top 1 edge. Fig. 7 shows that in this embodiment, the rubber layer 9 can be fixed to the top edge 1.1 using springs 10 fixing this layer 9 with a constant tension.

[0030] The top 1 with walls 4 is placed in this embodiment on two legs 6. This is shown in Fig. 1 , Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6 and Fig. 8. Each leg 6 is fixed to the substrate. In this embodiment, the substrate, not shown in the figure, is a known foundation slab made of cast concrete.

[0031] A 3 mm thick rubber layer 9 is fixed on the top 1 surface, between the walls 4, providing the actual surface on which the pool game is played. Said rubber layer 9 covering the entire area of the table between the walls 4 has a rough and wavy surface intended for playing in this embodiment. This is shown schematically in Fig. 10. This figure shows a significant magnification of a detail - contact between the pool ball 3 and the working surface of the rubber layer 9 placed on the slab 1 .1 of the top 1 of the table. In this embodiment, the rubber layer 9 between the walls 4 is provided with a microdepression 11 system on the entire top surface, with depth and width of 0.5 mm in this embodiment. In other embodiments, the microdepressions 11 can have a different width and depth. In this embodiment, the surface of the rubber layer 9 has roughness Ra 16 pm while surface waviness, designated as Wt is 220 pm in this embodiment. The rubber used to make the layer 9 has the Shore hardness of 75 in this embodiment. The surface topography coefficient Sa is 73 pm in this embodiment. Other values of the aforementioned coefficients cannot be excluded in other embodiments of the rubber layer 9.

[0032] Specific values characterising the microdepressions 11 were proposed for the top surface of the rubber layer 9. This, combined with the waviness and hardness of the rubber layer 9 allowed the rolling ball slowing down effect to be achieved. Pool balls rolling under the usual conditions of pool games on the textile provided as baize covering the pool table have the tendency to decelerate as they roll. In the outdoor pool table according to the invention, a layer with the described properties was used and allowed properties similar to baize to be obtained in terms of the rolling parameters of the pool ball. The mechanism of this property of the rubber layer 9 is shown in Fig. 10, which shows magnification of the rubber layer 9, microdepressions 11 and a section of the pool ball 3.

[0033] In this embodiment of the pool table according to the invention, the rubber layer 9 is reinforced elastomer in the form of cross-linked terpolymer obtained in a sulphur vulcanisation process, containing ethylene-propylene-diene monomers of the EPDM type.

[0034] List of references used in the

[0035] 1 . Top.

[0036] 1.1. Slab

[0037] 2. Opening

[0038] 2.1. Mesh holder

[0039] 3. Ball.

[0040] 4. Wall

[0041] 4.1. Wall edge.

[0042] 4.2. Cue stick holder.

[0043] 4.3. Drink holder.

[0044] 5. Recess.

[0045] 6. Leg.

[0046] 6.1 . Adjustable height foot.

[0047] 6.2. Set screw.

[0048] 6.3. Long bracket.

[0049] 6.4. Short bracket.

[0050] 6.5. Longer trapeze base

[0051] 6.6. Shorter trapeze base

[0052] 6.7. Trapeze size

[0053] 7. Strip.

[0054] 7.1. Flat profile

[0055] 8. Fixing measure.

[0056] 9. Rubber layer.

[0057] 10. Spring.

[0058] 11. Microdepression.

Claims

Claims.

1. An outdoor pool table containing top (1 ) with openings (2) for balls (3), wherein walls (4) reflecting the balls (3) are installed at all top (1) edges, while sad walls (4) have formed recesses (5) surrounding the openings (2) in the top (1 ) for balls (3) on the outside, wherein the top (1 ) is made as a slab with Portland cement as the binder, and is placed on legs (6) fixed to the substrate, characterised in that the top (1) of the table is a slab (1.1) made of a mixture containing 20% to 30% by weight of wood splinter, 1 mm to 10 mm long, 50% to 74% by weight of Portland cement, 5% to 15% by weight of water and 1 % to 5% by weight of hydration additives, while walls (4) are provided as strips (7) made of glued granulate of cross-linked polymer-based elastomers with grain size of 0.2 mm to 4 mm, and said strips (7) include a flat profile (7.1 ) on the side on which the wall (4) is fixed to the top edge (1 ) with measures (8) fixing these walls (4) to the slab edge (1.1 ), wherein the slab (1 .1 ) is covered between the walls (4) with a rubber layer (9) 2 mm to 5 mm thick with Shore hardness of 60 to 90, the edges of which are fixed to the slab (1.1 ) edges using measures (8) fixing the walls (4) to the top (1 ) edges.

2. A pool table according to Claim 1 , characterised in that the granulate of crosslinked polymer-based elastomers of the walls (4) is glued into a strip (7) using polyurethane adhesive.

3. A pool table according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the rubber layer (9) is characterised on the working surface intended for playing by roughness Rabetween 10 pm and 20 pm, and surface waviness Wt between 150 pm and 300 pm.

4. A pool table according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the rubber layer (9) is fixed to the slab (1.1 ) edge of the table using springs (10).

5. A pool table according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that each leg (6) has the shape of a trapeze, the parallel bases (6.5, 6.6) and oblique sides (6.7) of which are connected sections of a closed profile, wherein the top (1 ) of the table rests on the longer bases (6.5) of both legs (6), attached to the substrate using feet (6.1) installed on the shorter bases (6.6) of both legs (6) in the shape of a trapeze.

6. A pool table according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the rubber layer (9) material is an elastomer cross-linked in a sulphur or peroxide vulcanisation process, containing ethylene-propylene-diene monomers.

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