This invention relates generally to a game board or playfield for the game of shuffleboard and, more particularly, to a shuffleboard playfield or game board wherein the playfield is cut in half for ease of mobility and includes cooperating brackets located at the joinder intersection of the two halves of the playfield for easy assembly and a leveling mechanism for leveling the playfield at the point of joinder.
The shuffleboard game employs disks or pucks which are slidably propelled on a floor surface, game board or playfield from one end of the playfield to the other. The playfield is typically made of wood and incorporated into a heavy table like structure of considerable length with a relatively massive perimeter frame to accommodate the playing disks sliding off of the playfield anywhere along its length. The disks are propelled by a player in a sliding motion on the flat playing surface to impart a desired momentum to the disk so as to score points based upon the proximity of the disk trajectory terminus to a target location. Because of the sliding motion of the game, a flat level playfield throughout its entire length is imperative both to scoring points and to give full credit to the skill of the players.
Despite their basic appeal, shuffleboard games have generally been manufactured for commercial use in commercial establishments and as such, they are heavy in weight, relatively long in length, cumbersome to move, and generally immovable once positioned in a particular location. As a result, shuffleboard games are not widely used in non-commercial locations such as residential homes, senior citizen centers, church activity centers, office locations and similar locations due to space availability. While conventional shuffleboards are suitable for the purposes just described, the length of the playfield or game board is generally too long to be carried through narrow passageways, around corners, and up and down stairs and, as such, restricts the installation process such as in basements and upper floor locations.
The playfield or playing surface of a shuffleboard game is also impacted or affected by changes in humidity which can causes the wooden playfield to warp thereby making the playing surface upon which the disks or pucks slide uneven or not level. This means that the disks will not slide or travel true to form and will impact the play of the game. To counteract this warping problem, various types of leveling mechanisms have been proposed and are known in the art. This leveling problem is even more critical if the playing surface or playfield is cut in half as in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,717 issued to Anguella discloses a miniature and portable shuffleboard game which comprises two sections capable of being quickly assembled to form a miniature shuffleboard table which can be easily assembled and disassembled for play, storage and for easy transportation. Corresponding attachment means are associated with each of the table sections for aligning and connecting the sections together in the assembled position. Pivotal legs are likewise associated with each table section for supporting each section in the assembled position. A pair of threaded members extend downwardly from one end of one of the table sections and are cooperatively received into corresponding holes associated with the other table section and are utilized in connecting the two sections together. Overlapping extension portions associated with each table section accounts for the aligning of the top surface of the two sections when joined together. No additional leveling mechanism is provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,493,620 issued to Cusano discloses a shuffled board table having a leveling mechanism which includes a pair of brackets fixedly secured by screws to the board adjacent the outer portions thereof and a third bracket positioned centrally therebetween. A rigid beam is secured to the end brackets and a bolt extends through a central opening in the beam for mating with the third centrally located bracket. Movement of a pair of nuts associated with a bolt which mates with the central bracket allows the center portion of the table to be moved up or down to adjust for warping of the table at its center due to humidity or other atmospheric conditions. This adjustment mechanism only corrects for warping of a one-piece playing surface at the center of the table as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and does not function to level two half sections of a playing surface at or adjacent to the point of joinder where the half sections are connected together.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,681 issued to Tudek discloses a ball game table vaguely similar to shuffleboard wherein the playing surface is completely covered with a fabric such as grass carpeting along its longitudinal dimension. More particularly, the playing board is cut in half and a nut, bolt and washer assembly is used for securing two cross members together thereby resulting in joining the two halves of the game board. It further discloses the use of adjustment levelers which are screwed into cross members at a plurality of locations along the length of the game board. These cross member levelers are described as being a short piece of round pipe filled with cement after an all-threaded hexagon head bolt is centered and extended within the pipe to be hand screwed into the cross members at weight bearing points to level the table. None of the adjustment levelers are positioned at or adjacent to the joint intersection where the two halves of the board are connected together. In addition, these adjustment levelers do not adjust the height level of the carpet which is layered on the top surface of the game board playing surface.
It is therefore desirable to provide an improved standard full length shuffleboard playfield wherein the shuffleboard playfield is cut in half and includes two elongated planar members which can be easily assembled on location and adjusted at the point of joinder to yield a level flat playing surface at the joinder point.
Specific advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the attached drawings and description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
The present invention overcomes many of the shortcomings and limitations of the prior art devices discussed above and teaches the construction and operation of several embodiments of a shuffleboard playfield adapted for use with a shuffleboard game of different sizes. In one aspect of the present invention, a standard full length shuffleboard playfield is cut in half and includes two elongated rectangular planar members which are assembled on location with brackets and leveling bolts to yield a level flat and smooth playing surface at the point of joinder of the two planar members. The shuffleboard playfield includes a base of hard wood and a smooth polymer finish on the top playing surface.
The present two-piece shuffleboard playfield will be used when the length of the playfield of a conventional one-piece shuffleboard game is too long to be carried and/or maneuvered through narrow passageways or up or down stairs and its overall length restricts the installation process such as in basements and upper floor locations. With the unassembled rectangular planar members of the present playfield, the present shuffleboard can be easily delivered through narrow passageways so as to be installed at the desired location. The two elongated planar members of the present shuffleboard playfield are attached to each other through the use of bracket members mounted to the lower surface of each elongated planar member at the terminal end portion thereof or at the point of joinder between the two planar members. When the two planar members are placed in abutting relationship to each other at their point of joinder, the corresponding bracket members mate with each other and can be securely connected to each other through the use of a plurality of spaced apart bolts or other suitable connecting means. An adjustment or leveling bolt is positioned at each respective end of each bracket member. Adjustment of the leveling bolts is made to level the top surface of the elongated planar members at the joint edge, or at their point of joinder. Each side portion of one rectangular planar member adjacent the joint edge can be adjusted up and/or down with respect to the other rectangular planar member by merely adjusting the appropriate leveling bolt. The adjustment bolts are used to raise one corner of the playfield independently of the other corners. Once the playfield is assembled, it is placed in the associated cradle in its playing position.
The present shuffleboard playfield comprises two elongated planar members, each having an upper surface and a lower surface wherein one elongated planar member is coupled to the other elongated planar member in the same plane at a joint edge with bracket members. In a preferred embodiment, two L-shaped brackets, each having a mount panel and a flange portion extending downwardly from one side of the mount panel in substantially perpendicular relationship thereto, are used to attach the two elongated planar members to each other. Each bracket member mounted on the lower surface of the respective first and second elongated planar members at their respective points of joinder includes at least one threaded aperture located adjacent to the joint edge at each respective end thereof for receiving an adjustment or leveling bolt which is engaged therewith to level the upper surfaces of the first and second elongated planar members at the joint edge, or at their point of joinder.
It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments illustrated herein are sometimes illustrated by graphic symbols, phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein. Like numbers utilized throughout the various Figures designate like or similar parts or structure.
The present invention is generally embodied in a shuffleboard game. Referring to the drawings,
Referring to
The shuffleboard playfield 12 is typically made of wood with the numbers and lines typically painted or etched into the top surface. In a preferred embodiment, the wood material of the shuffleboard playfield 12 should be a relatively hard wood material such as solid maple and the top surface thereof is covered with a polished polymer layer to improve the sliding surface of the playfield. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other materials can likewise be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The shuffleboard playfield 12 made in accordance with the present invention is best illustrated in
In one embodiment, the shuffleboard playfield 12 includes two elongated L-shaped brackets 32 and 42 positioned and located at the joint or point of joinder 60 where the two rectangular planar members 30 and 40 meet as shown in
Each bracket member 32 and 42 preferably includes a relatively rigid mount panel 33 and 43 respectively and a respective flange portion 35 and 45 extending downwardly from one side portion of the mount panel 33 and 43. The flange portions 35 and 45 are secured in substantially perpendicular relationship to the mount panel 33 and 43. The brackets 32 and 42 are preferably integrally formed from a rigid material such as steel or another suitable metal material, but they could likewise be formed of any other rigid material. The mount panels 33 and 43 are positioned and located on the underside of the planar playfield members 30 and 40 respectively for secure and rigid attachment thereto through a series of head bolts or other suitable fastening means 37. Spaced about evenly along the full length of each mount panel 33 and 43 are a plurality of apertures 36 and 46 (
The flange portions 35 and 45 are generally shaped to extend downwardly a pre-determined distance (not shown). The flange portion 35 is shaped for mating with flange portion 45 as best illustrated in
Four adjustment or leveling bolts 50, 52, 54 and 56 are located in close vicinity to each respective end portion of each bracket member 32 and 42 at or adjacent to the point or joinder or joint 60 as illustrated in
Adjustment of the two planar playfield members 30 and 40 relative to each other can be accomplished as follows. For example, after installation, as illustrated in
Each side edge of each rectangular planar member adjacent the joint 60 can be moved up or down independently with respect to the other side edge of the rectangular planar member by simply adjusting the appropriate leveling bolt. The leveling bolts are used individually to raise one corner of the two rectangular planar members independently of the other corners. The pressure of the adjustment bolts 50, 52, 54 and 56 against the lower surface of the appropriate rectangular planar member 30 and 40 will cause the top surface of the rectangular planar members 30 and 40 to be forced upwardly thus effecting leveling of the top surface of the rectangular planar members 30 and 40 at the joint 60. Adjustments are made to level the top surface of the two rectangular planar members 30 and 40 so as to enable the user to accurately level the top surface of the two rectangular planar members at the joint 60 for competitive play.
Once the two rectangular planar members 30 and 40 are delivered to the desired location for installation, they are connected together as previously explained through the use of the bracket members 32 and 42. If the top surfaces of the rectangular planar members 30 and 40 are not even at the point of joinder 60 as discussed above or as illustrated in
The ability to raise the rectangular planar members 30 and 40 of the playfield 12 using the bracket members 32 and 42 and the adjustment bolts 50, 52, 54 and 56 has the significant advantage of allowing the installer to make adjustments at the joint 60 while viewing the playfield surface to bring the playfield 12 to a level plane at the joint 60.
It is also recognized that adjustment of the playfield members 30 and 40 at their point of joinder 60 will never yield a seamless joint. However, proper adjustment and alignment of the members 30 and 40 at joint edge 60 can yield a top surface which will not interfere with the sliding motion of the pucks 28 as such pucks pass over the joint 60.
Further, the overall dimensions of the present shuffleboard playfield as well as the specific shape and configuration of the various connecting brackets associated therewith are also subject to wide variations and may be sized and shaped into a wide variety of different sizes and configurations so as to be compatible with the size and shape of the particular shuffleboard table onto which the present structures may be mounted, or to conform with any space limitations associated therewith out impairing the teachings and practice of the present invention.
It is also understood that various modifications may be made to all of the various embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Thus, there has been shown and described several embodiments of a novel invention. As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present constructions will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the present specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention and the scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited solely to the embodiments shown herein. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various embodiments described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by this disclosure.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20110316228 A1 | Dec 2011 | US |