Abstract
The present invention is pool or billiard table having a system of multiple local section, wedge leveling devices secured in recesses in a support frame, which allow a user to precisely and in very small increments adjust sectionwise leveling of a slate slab.
Claims
1. A playing table, for pool or billiards with legs supporting a support frame, which in turn supports a horizontal playing slab with a level top playing surface comprising: (a) the support frame having a peripheral rectangular section and cross pieces that connect longer opposing parts of the peripheral rectangular section, where the peripheral rectangular section and the cross pieces have side walls; (b) multiple recesses are defined in a top surface of the support frame and cross pieces, each recess defining a box section in a center part of the support frame or cross piece and each box section being continuous with an access section that defines an opening in a side wall and an opening into the box section; and (c) one or more wedge leveling devices, each fixed within one of the recesses under a bottom surface of the horizontal playing slab and each having a support box with a wedge incline surface as a floor of a wedge space lower at a front part and higher toward a rear part and open to a top surface of the support box and a threaded adjuster fixed in a front wall of the support box where the support box is fixed within the box section; and (d) each wedge leveling device further comprising a wedge piece located in the wedge space and having a bottom inclined surface slidably engaged to the floor of the wedge incline surface, where the wedge piece is further engaged to the end of a rotatable bolt that is engaged with the threaded adjuster and extends into the access section terminating in a bolt head.
2. The playing table of claim 1 wherein recesses with wedge leveling devices are located only in the peripheral section of the support frame.
3. The playing table of claim 1 wherein recesses with wedge leveling devices are located only in the cross pieces of the support frame.
4. The playing table of claim 1 wherein recesses with wedge leveling devices are located in the peripheral section and cross pieces of the support frame.
5. The playing table of claim 4 wherein an operational group of recesses with wedge leveling devices are located at a center section of one or more cross pieces.
6. The playing table of claim 5 wherein the operational group consists of two recesses with wedge leveling devices arranged head to head at the center section of one or more cross-pieces.
7. The playing table of claim 6 wherein the operational group further consists of two recesses with wedge leveling devices are arranged at the peripheral section where each is adjacent to a side of one of two connection sections of the cross piece to the peripheral section, resulting in the operational group consisting of a total of six recesses with wedge leveling devices.
8. The playing table of claim 1 wherein a top surface of a cover piece located above a top surface of a wedge piece is equal to or less than 3 inches by 3 inches.
9. The playing table of claim 1 wherein a top surface of a cover piece located above a top surface of a wedge piece is equal to or less than 1.5 inches by 1.5 inches.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a wedge leveling device according to the invention.
(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wedge leveling device of FIG. 1 with a cover piece shown in an exploded position.
(3) FIG. 3 is a side and cutaway view of the wedge leveling device of FIGS. 1 and 2 assembled and located in a recess in a support frame, which the assembly of which supports a slate slab (shown in side and cutaway view) so that the cover piece can be raised to provide local leveling of the slate slab.
(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a recess in the support frame shown in cutaway view in FIG. 3.
(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a support frame and a portion of a slate slab with recesses in the support frame supporting and enclosing wedge leveling devices.
(6) FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are alternate representations of wedge leveling devices in FIGS. 1 and 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(7) It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.
(8) FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a wedge leveling device according to the invention comprising a support box 10, a wedge piece 11, and a lock piece 12. Support box 10 comprises side walls 14, front section 17 and rear section 27, defining a space between them and having a floor forming a wedge incline surface 16. Side walls 14 comprise guides 15 that are integral with wedge incline surface 16 and are adapted to guide wedge piece 11 along wedge incline surface 16 when its bottom surface 32 is engaged with the wedge incline surface 16 in operation. Sections 17 and 27 respectively comprises sides 37 and 36, which, along with bottom surface 28 of support box 10, respectively contact side walls and a floor of a support frame recess parts 45 and 46 (as shown in FIG. 4).
(9) Referring again to FIG. 1, bolt 19 comprises a head 20, an outer shaft 20, a threaded inner shaft 23 (shown in broken lines), and an end shaft 24 (in which is defined a lock groove 25, which is adapted to engage inside surfaces of slot 35a of lock tab 12, where slot 35a is defined in the body 35 of lock tab 12). Optionally, a threaded nut 18 (shown in broken lines) is fixed within the front section 17 to threadedly engage threaded inner shaft 23 so that rotation of head 20 causes bolt 19 to move inward or outward with respect to front section 17.
(10) Wedge piece 11 comprises a bottom incline surface 32 adapted to substantially surround end shaft 24, thereby allowing tab 12 to be inserted in through slot 30 to lock wedge piece 11 to bolt 19 at groove 25, when the separated pieces of FIG. 1 are engaged together. Wedge piece 11 further comprises a front face 33 which is adapted to oppose an inside surface of section 17 when properly connected with support box 10 and sidewalls 31 also adapted to slidingly engage and be guided by guides 15 when wedge piece 11 is urged up or down wedge incline surface 16 in operation.
(11) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wedge leveling device of FIG. 1 with a cover piece 13 shown in an exploded position relative to the assembled support box 10, bolt 19, wedge piece 11, and tab 12 (not shown, but having been inserted into slot 30). Cover piece 13 comprises a U-shape cross section piece having side walls 38 and a top joining section 39. Inside surfaces of sidewalls 38 engage outside surfaces of sidewalls 14 of support box 10 then cover piece 13 is properly assembled, whereby an underside of top joining section 39 contacts the top surface 29 of wedge piece 11, thereby resulting in a fully assembled wedge leveling device.
(12) FIG. 3 is a side and cutaway view of the wedge leveling device of FIGS. 1 and 2 assembled and located in a recess (comprising sections 45 and 46) in a support frame 43, which the assembly of which supports a slate slab 41 (shown in side and cutaway view) so that the cover piece 13 (of which top joining section 39 is shown in cross section and contacting slab underside 42 can be raised or lowered to provide local leveling of the slate slab 41, by rotation of bolt 19, whereby the entire wedge leveling device is not integrally part of the support frame 43 but merely rests upon floor 47 of sections 45 and 46. In preferred embodiments, a top surface of top joining section 39 is equal or less than 3 inches by 3 inches, more preferably equal to less than 1.5 inches by 1.5 inches to accomplish the objects of the invention of highly local leveling of slab 41.
(13) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a recess in the support frame 43 (shown in cutaway view) where the recess is defined by a large section 46 adapted to contain the support box 10 covered with the cover piece 13 and access section 47 is defined by a smaller recess with openings into large section 46 and an outside surface of support frame 43, whereby a user can insert a tool, such as a ratchet bearing an appropriately sized socket, to rotate the head of bolt 19 to cause wedge piece 11 to move up or down wedge incline surface 16, thereby further causing cover piece 13 to rise or lower with respect to underside 42 of slab 41 and adjust local leveling thereby. Support frame 43 comprises multiple recesses comprised of sections 45 and 46, preferably uniformly along peripheral sections and cross pieces of the support frame 43.
(14) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a support frame and a portion of a slate slab with recesses in the support frame 43 supporting and providing recesses for the invention wedge leveling devices. End frame 49 is shown with three recesses 201. Side frames 100 comprise engaged cross pieces 50 and 51, whereby recesses 200 are formed adjacent to the location where cross pieces 50 and 51 engage with side frames 100. Further, head to head recesses 203 and 204 are formed in a center part of cross pieces 50 and 51, whereby recesses 200, 203 and 204 comprise an operative group of locations for the invention wedge leveling devices so that leveling of the essentially continuous support surface of the cross pieces 50 and 51 and their connection locations to side frames 100 can be most effectively controlled.
(15) Alternate Specific Description
(16) FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are alternate representations of wedge leveling devices in FIGS. 1 and 2.
(17) With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, invention leveling equipment consists of main panel 100, cover panel 300 and several of LevelBox 200. The LevelBox has pedestal 210, the first shift block 220, the second shift block 230, the bolt 240. The pedestal 210 is a top opening box which has front wall 211, back wall 212, side walls 213. The first shift block 220 is with high front and low back surface. When the bolt 240 shift around the main axis, it drives the second shift block 230 to move along the high and low surface on first shift block 220. There is the screw thread in the hole on the back wall 212. The first end of bolt 240 connects back wall 212, the second end connects the second shift block 230. Through the high and low surface on the first shift block 220, the vertical pressure from the cover panel 300 can change into the horizontal power on bolt 240. Through the horizontal power and the pressure, friction from first shift block 220 to the second shift block 230, with all these powers to support the cover panel 300 which reduce the effects to the bolt 240, further to protect the bolt 240.
(18) With reference to FIG. 7, on a second shift block 230, there is a latch 250, a fillister 231, the second hole 232, stuck piece 251. There is a circle groove 214 on the second end of bolt 240; a lead rail 215 set on the side wall 213. The lead rail 215 set on side wall 213, parallel with the surface of first shift block 220. A location limitation part (not shown) is located between the second shift block 230 and lead rail 215. There may be the ball bearing on the lead rail 215 so as to reduce the friction during the moving of second shift block 230, further for the convenient leveling. Based on need, inlayed nut 214 may be located in the first hole. It can enhance the strength of the screw thread to prolong the using life.
(19) With reference to FIG. 8, there is a top cover 260, set atop and move with the second shift block 230. Also side blocks 261 which are inside side walls 213. Slot 216 and the location limitation part 217 set on both side walls 213. The fastener 262, set inside side blocks 261. Slot 216 and fastener 262 to control the shifting highest height of top cover 260 to avoid derail.
