POOL TABLE HAVING TWO POCKETS AND POOL TABLE KIT

Abstract

A pool table including all of the same components as a standard pool table but with only two regulation pockets, one disposed midway between each of the short sides of the playing surface.

Claims

1. A pool table comprising: a base; a rectangular frame disposed upon and supported by said base, said frame having a length defined by two short frame sides and a width defined by two long frame sides; a plurality of rail cushions disposed within and along said frame; a rectangular playing surface disposed within said frame and supported by said base, said playing surface consisting of a substantially planar surface having two short sides, two long sides, and a pocket opening disposed through each of said short sides of said playing surface proximate to said frame; a fabric material covering said playing surface and said rail cushions; and a pair of pockets disposed through said frame and said rail cushions, wherein each of said pockets is formed by said pocket openings through said playing surface and by a basket portion disposed through said frame and said rail cushions and attached to said frame.

2. The pool table as claimed in claim 1 wherein each pocket is a regulation pocket.

3. The pool table as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rectangular playing surface is a natural slate playing surface.

4. The pool table as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rectangular playing surface is a natural slate playing surface having a thickness of between seven eights of one inch and one inch.

5. The pool table as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rectangular playing surface is manufactured from a single slate sheet having substantially the same dimensions as a center sheet on a three sheet nine-foot regulation pool table.

6. The pool table as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fabric material is a woven fabric having a top surface, a bottom surface and a nap on said top surface.

7. The pool table as claimed in claim 2, wherein said rectangular playing surface is a natural slate playing surface.

8. The pool table as claimed in claim 2, wherein said rectangular playing surface is a natural slate playing surface having a thickness of between seven eights of one inch and one inch.

9. The pool table as claimed in claim 2, wherein said rectangular playing surface is manufactured from a single slate sheet having substantially the same dimensions as a center sheet on a three sheet nine-foot regulation pool table.

10. The pool table as claimed in claim 2 wherein said fabric material is a woven fabric having a top surface, a bottom surface and a nap on said top surface.

11. A pool table kit comprising: a pool table comprising: a base; a rectangular frame disposed upon and supported by said base, said frame having a length defined by two short frame sides and a width defined by two long frame sides; a plurality of rail cushions disposed within and along said frame; a rectangular playing surface disposed within said frame and supported by said base, said playing surface consisting of a substantially planar surface having two short sides, two long sides, and a pocket opening disposed through each of said short sides of said playing surface proximate to said frame; a fabric material covering said playing surface and said rail cushions; and a pair of pockets disposed through said frame and said rail cushions, wherein each of said pockets is formed by said pocket openings through said playing surface and a basket portion disposed through said frame and said rail cushions and attached to said frame; at least one rack; and a plurality of balls, wherein said plurality of balls are dimensioned to fit within said rack and wherein each of said plurality of balls is dimensioned to fit within said pockets in said pool table.

12. The kit as claimed in claim 11, wherein each pocket of said pool table is a regulation pocket.

13. The kit as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of balls is a regulation ball.

14. The kit as claimed in claim 11, wherein said rack is a hexagonal rack.

15. The kit as claimed in claim 14, wherein said plurality of balls comprises seven balls.

16. The kit as claimed in claim 11 wherein said rectangular playing surface is a natural slate playing surface.

17. The kit as claimed in claim 11, wherein said rectangular playing surface is a natural slate playing surface having a thickness of between seven eights of one inch and one inch.

18. The kit as claimed in claim 11, wherein said rectangular playing surface is manufactured from a single slate sheet having substantially the same dimensions as a center sheet on a three sheet nine-foot regulation pool table.

19. The kit as claimed in claim 11 wherein said fabric material is a woven fabric having a top surface, a bottom surface and a nap on said top surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art regulation pool table.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a top assembly view of the three sheets of slate assembled to form the playing surface of a prior art regulation pool table.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a prior art bumper pool table.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the kit of the present invention including the preferred pool table, regulation balls and a rack.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the pool table of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a partially assembled pool table of the present invention showing the preferred slate sheet attached to the base.

[0033] FIG. 7 is a top view of an alternative set of regulation balls and hexagonal rack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] Referring now to FIG. 4, perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the kit of the present invention is shown. The kit includes the preferred pool table 100, a set of regulation balls 50 and a rack 60.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the pool table 100 includes a playing surface 12 that is disposed within a rectangular frame 18 having two long sides 28 and two short sides 30. The frame 18 is supported by a base 20, which is shown in FIG. 4 as a trestle table style base but can take many forms. Rail cushions 16 are disposed upon all four sides of the frame 18 proximate to the playing surface 12. Finally, two pockets 14 are disposed through the playing surface 12, rail cushions 16 and frame 18 with one pocket 14 located at the midpoint of each short side 30 frame 18. Each pocket 14 includes a pocket opening 25 through the playing surface 12 and a basket portion 15 and is preferably dimensioned to conform to the requirements set forth by the BCA with regard mouth, throat, vertical pocket angle, shelf and drop point slate radius such that each pocket 14 is a regulation pocket. Finally, the playing surface 12 and rail cushions 16 are each covered with a cloth material that preferably conforms to BCA requirements.

[0036] FIG. 6 shows partially assembled pool table 100 of the present invention showing the preferred slate sheet 24 that forms the playing surface 12 attached to the base. The preferred pool table 100 is manufactured from a single slate sheet 24 having the same dimensions as those used as the center sheet on the manufacture of a three sheet nine-foot regulation pool table. In such embodiments, the slate sheet 24 dimensions are between thick and 1 thick, has a short side dimension of 36 and a long side dimension of 57. However, it is recognized that the pool table may take many forms. The slate sheet 24 includes a pocket opening 25 at the midpoint of each short side.

[0037] FIG. 7 is a top view of a set of seven regulation balls 50 and hexagonal rack 60. The regulation balls 50 may be colored numbered or have other indicia and may be sold as part of the kit with different numbers of balls 50 having different indicia. The rack 60 of FIG. 7 is preferred for use in the method of use discussed above with regard to the 3 on 3 game, but may be used in connection with other games. Further, the rack 60 of the kit may be a conventional triangular eight ball rack, diamond shaped nine or seven ball rack, or may take a multitude of other forms.

[0038] Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions would be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the invention should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.