Adjustment mechanism for shuffleboards and other game boards

Abstract

The present invention relates to an adjustment mechanism for game boards that allows a user to correct for warp to the playing surface due to changes in climatic conditions. The adjustment mechanism includes at least two adjusting members mounted in a transversely spaced arrangement to the underside of a game board and connecting member engaging the adjusting members through threaded connections. Through rotation, the connecting member exerts a force to drive the adjusting members away from or toward one another thereby impacting the degree of concavity imparted to the playing surface. Rotating the connecting member in one direction increases the concavity of the playing surface and rotating the connecting member in the opposite direction reduces the concavity of the playing surface. The connecting member includes a polygonal portion for engagement with a tool allowing the user to adjust the concavity of the playing surface in a single motion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustment mechanism for adjusting a game board playing surface comprising:
 at least two adjusting members for securement to the underside of the game board in a transversely spaced arrangement;   at least one connecting member able to span the distance between said adjusting members and having its opposite end portions engageable with said adjusting members, rotation of said at least one connecting member in one direction exerting a force necessary to drive said adjusting members away from one another and rotation of said at least one connection member in another direction exerting a force necessary to pull said adjusting members toward one another.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustment mechanism of  claim 1  wherein securement of said adjusting members to the underside of said game board includes a plurality of fastening members insertable through a plurality of holes in said adjusting members for attaching to the underside of the game board. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustment mechanism of  claim 1  wherein said connecting member is engaged with said adjusting members through threaded connections, one end portion of said connecting member having right-hand threads and the other end portion of said connecting member having left-hand threads. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustment mechanism of  claim 3  wherein one of said adjusting members includes right-hand threads and is engageable with the one end portion of said connecting member having right-hand threads, and wherein one of said adjusting members includes left-hand threads and is engageable with the one end portion of said connecting member having left-hand threads. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustment mechanism of  claim 3  wherein said connecting member has a polygonal portion that can be engaged to enable rotation. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustment mechanism of  claim 1  wherein said adjusting members and said at least one connecting member is composed of a metal alloy. 
     
     
         7 . An adjustment mechanism for adjusting a game board playing surface comprising:
 a pair of bracket members for attachment to the underside of a game board in a transversely spaced arrangement to one another relative to the playing surface, said bracket members having sleeve members threaded counter directionally from one another;   a connecting rod member having opposing ends that are counter threaded to mate effectively with the threaded sleeve members in said bracket members such that when said rod member is rotated in one direction, said bracket members are driven away from one another increasing the concavity of the playing surface and when said rod member is rotated in the opposite direction, said bracket members are pulled toward one another reducing concavity of the playing surface.   
     
     
         8 . The adjustment mechanism of  claim 7  wherein said bracket members include a plurality of holes for receiving a plurality of fastening members for securing said bracket members to the underside of a game board. 
     
     
         9 . The adjustment mechanism of  claim 7  wherein said connecting rod member has a polygonal portion that can be engaged by a tool and wherein one opposed end portion includes right-hand threads and the other opposed end portion includes left-hand threads, and wherein one of said bracket sleeve members includes right-hand threads and the other bracket sleeve member includes left-hand threads. 
     
     
         10 . A method for adjusting a game board playing surface comprising:
 mounting an adjustment mechanism to the underside of the game board perpendicular to the length of said game board, said adjustment mechanism including two adjusting members and a connecting member extending therebetween,   rotating said connecting member in one direction whereby said adjusting members are moved away from one another thereby increasing concavity of the playing surface;   rotating said connecting member in a counter direction whereby said adjusting members are moved toward one another thereby reducing concavity of the playing surface.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein a plurality of pairs of adjusting members are mounted to the underside of the game board spaced at predetermined intervals along the length of the game board and rotation of the connecting member between each pair of adjusting members creates the desired level of concavity across the length of the game board. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the connecting member includes a polygonal portion and whereby a user engages and rotates said connecting member by attaching a tool to said polygonal portion to create the desired level of concavity. 
     
     
         13 . An adjustment mechanism for correcting warp associated with a game board playing surface comprising:
 a first bracket member for mounting to the under surface of a game board, said first bracket member including a first sleeve member, said first sleeve member including a threaded opening extending therethrough, said threaded opening having left-hand threads;   a second bracket member for mounting to the under surface of a game board, said second bracket member including a second sleeve member, said second sleeve member including a threaded opening extending therethrough, said threaded opening having right-hand threads; and   a bar member having opposite end portions and a polygonal portion positioned at an intermediate location therebetween, one end portion of said bar member having left-hand threads configured for engagement with the left-hand threads associated with said first sleeve member and the opposite end portion of said bar member having right-hand threads configured for engagement with the right-hand threads associated with said second sleeve member;   said first and second bracket members being mountable to the under surface of a game board in a transversely spaced aligned arrangement perpendicular to the length of a game board, and said bar member being threadedly engageable with the first and second sleeve members associated with said first and second bracket members;   rotation of said bar member in a first direction exerting a force which will cause the first and second bracket members to be drawn towards each other and rotation of said bar member in a second direction exerting a force which will cause the first and second bracket members to be drawn away from each other, movement of said bracket members through rotation of said bar member changing the desired level of warp associated with a game board.