Convertible dining / billiard table

Abstract

A convertible dining/billiard table includes features allowing a slim design dining table at regular dining height, easily convertible in a pool table. One feature is a pocket ball holder for a pool, snooker, pyramid or other pocket billiard table, featuring a very flat design with no depth when the pocket ball holder does not hold any ball, but able to stretch and hold several balls when one or several balls are pocketed. The ball holder includes an elastic membrane. The table is also provided with a height adjustment mechanism, including two profiles, a first one of the profile being slidably disposed inside a second one of the profile. A third piece is provided consisting in a cylindrical bar moving through specifically shaped cavities in the two profiles and engaging in a first position when moving one profile in one direction.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
   
   
       17 . A billiard table provided with means to convert the table into a dining table, said table showing no external features of a billiard table when set up as dining table, comprising a height adjustment mechanism placed in each leg of the table, said mechanism comprising two profiles and one cylindrical bar, a first one of the profile being slidably disposed inside a second one of the profile, and the cylindrical bar moving through specifically shaped cavities in the two profiles and engaging in a first position when moving one profile in one direction, the said cylindrical bar maintaining the moving profile to this first position when the said moving profile is moved in the opposite direction; the said cylindrical axis being removed and engaged in a second position when the moving profile is moved again in the first direction, the said cylindrical bar maintaining the moving profile to this second position when the said moving profile is moved back in the opposite direction. 
   
   
       18 . A billiard table as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the profile disposed inside the second one of the profile is the moving profile. 
   
   
       19 . A billiard table as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the profile disposed inside the second one of the profile is the fixed profile. 
   
   
       20 . A billiard table as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the pocket ball holders necessary to hold the balls when they are sunk while playing pool, snooker or the like, when the table is provided with such equipment, comprise a soft material which can be placed in such a way that, when it contains no balls, shows a very thin profile and therefore is not seen behind the table structure, even though the said structure is very slim. 
   
   
       21 . A billiard table as claimed in  claim 20 , in which the pocket ball holders comprise an elastic membrane that can be stretched in a way that it may hold the desire number of balls, and come back to its original shape once the balls are released or removed. 
   
   
       22 . A dining table as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein said elastic membrane is stretched between the edges of a wire frame. 
   
   
       23 . A dining table as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein said membrane is stretched between the edges of a bi-dimensional wire frame. 
   
   
       24 . A dining table as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein said membrane is constructed of a nylon stretchable cloth. 
   
   
       25 . A dining table as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said pocket ball holder is equipped with a flat thin plate horizontally slidable just above or below the said pocket ball holder when flat. 
   
   
       26 . A dining table as claimed in  claim 20 , where a damping material is located between the pocket ball holder and the back of the billiard slate. 
   
   
       27 . A dining table as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the said damping material is a piece of a synthetic material foam fixed on the back of the slate. 
   
   
       28 . A dining table as claimed in  claim 17 , where the pocket ball holder is within the table frame, being the apron or the legs, so that the balls can be stored without being seen from the outside.