Card table top

May 21, 1935

2,001,918

W. J. NEVI US

CARD TABLE TOP

Filed Jan. 12, 1935

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Patented May 21, 1935

2,001,918

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,001,918 CARD TABLE TOP Wilford J. Nevins, Washington, D. C. Application January 12, 1935, Serial No. 1,584 7 Claims. (Cl. 273—151)

The invention relates to card table tops and more particularly to a removable, portable top or unit for card tables, which unit is particularly designed for playing duplicate whist or bridge.

An important object of the invention is to provide a card table top wherein means are provided for housing within relatively small space any desired number of bridge hands in such manner that the respective hands are protected ¹⁰ and confined within the card table top and indefinitely preserved for play and replay by the same or other players as often as desired.

A further object is to provide a card table top of the character described wherein provision is made for storing the several bridge hands, each consisting of thirteen cards, in a plurality of closed compartments arranged in such manner as to be conveniently opened for access to the bridge ₂₀ hands, and which compartments when in closed position are flush or in horizontal alignment with the playing surface of the card table top so as to constitute in effect a continuous playing surface extending from edge to edge of the table.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a portable card table top which may be removably positioned on the ordinary or standard card table and which may be removed and stored on its side edge against the wall when not in use, 30 without disturbing the arrangement of the playing hands stored therein.

The invention, is of such nature that the stored hands are protected from dust or individual displacement, the said hands being capable of con³⁵ venient removal from their stored position by raising the hinged covers of the respective compartments provided within the table top.

In playing duplicate card games it will be understood that any desired number of hands, each consisting of thirteen cards, are first shuffled and stored in separated relation at each side of the table, to the end that as the hands are bid and played the score is recorded against or in 45 favor of the partners who obtain the final contract. After play and score of a hand the latter is replaced in position in its proper location within the card table top for future bidding and playing by the opponents of the two players who 50 first obtained the declaration and played the hand. Any desired number of hands may be progressively played, first by two persons and thereafter by their opponents, it merely being ₅₅ necessary to turn the card table top or shift the positions of the players in order to permit this to be done, the general idea of the duplicate game being to eliminate as much as possible the element of luck or chance, and rate the various players 60 on their respective bidding and playing abilities on a given set of cards constituting one or more playing hands.

Preferably the card table top is maintained in playing position with the north hand always in the same position, the respective compartments 5 containing any desired number of pre-shuffled bridge hands. After a number of such hands have been played, the four players shift their positions so that the north and south hands formerly played by a given two players will thereafter ¹⁰be declared and played by their opponents. Usually the hands played by four players in set position are sufficient in number to eliminate or minimize the factor of memory so that when the first hand played in an evening for example is 15 again played by the opponents of the first^- players, the former bidding and play will not be recalled by the players. This is also true of the particular score which was made in favor of either side as to a particular hand; and in this manner 20 the players may score their games and be rated solely on their ability as card players and by their ability to diagnose the cards held by their opponents in view of the respective bids.

The nature and arrangement of the invention ²⁵is such that any desired number of pre-shuffled playing hands, for example 24 for each of four players, may be conveniently stored within _acomparatively.small space, thereby rendering it possible to construct the card table top with rela- ³⁰tively small dimensions, for example not more than one inch overall depth. The thickness of the various compartments for containing the cards may be as small as one-half inch or less and this is of convenience not only in economi- ³⁵cal manufacture, but also in storing and playing a relatively large number of hands. The total number of hands, for example, which may be shuffled and stored in the card table top may be sufficient for two or more evenings of continuous ⁴⁰play without requiring re-shuffling of the cards, it merely being necessary to replace the hands after they have been played, in their proper compartments, which are numbered for convenience to determine the order of play of the hands. ⁴⁵

A further object of the invention is to so combine the storing facilities for the playing hands with means for providing an ash tray or drinking glass compartment for each player so that the complete device is of a pleasing and orna- ⁵⁰mental nature. The major portion of the card playing surface of the table top may if desired be provided with dealing and scoring information with or without additional directions as to the manner and order of playing the hands. ⁵⁵With such objects in view, as well as other advantages which may be incident to the use of the improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that ⁶⁰

2,001,818 the several necessary elements constituting the same may be varied in proportion and arrangement without departing from the nature and scope of the invention. \ β In order to make the invention more clearly understood there are shown in the accompanying drawing means for carrying the same into practical effect, without limiting the improvements, in their useful applications, to the particular 10 constructions which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In the said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a card table top constructed in accordance with a preferred em16 bodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 2—2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on line 3—3 of Fig. 1.

SO Referring to the drawing, a card table top constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown as comprising a central panel I preferably of sheet metal and which constitutes the major portion of the playing surface of the 26 table top. This panel is bent downwardly to provide vertical walls 2, and thence horizontally outwardly to provide surfaces 3 which are offset vertically with respect to the panel I, (Fig. 3) thus providing an elongated recess at opposite 30 sides of the playing surface. The outer edges of the surfaces 3 are in turn bent downwardly to provide flanges 4 adapted to engage without the side edges of the top of a card table of the usual type, indicated by broken lines at 5 (Fig. 1).

3» Trays 6 are suitably secured within the cut away comer portions resulting from the above described cruciform construction and these trays may be employed to receive drinking glasses, ash receivers or the like. The trays 6 are provided 40 with upwardly extending side flanges Ί and downwardly extending side flanges 8, the latter being secured to and cooperating with the flanges 4 in maintaining the card table top against displacement from the table 5.

The surfaces 3 are provided with partitions 9 at spaced intervals so as to define a plurality of compartments 10 along each side of the playing surface. The partitions 9 are illustrated as each constructed of a strip of sheet metal bent upon 60 itself and having oppositely extending lateral flanges i I which are soldered, spot welded, or otherwise suitably secured to the downwardly offset surfaces 3.

A hinge wire or rod 12 extends through 65 the several partitions 9 adjacent to the vertical walls 2 along each side of the table top and has its ends fixed in the vertical flanges 7 of the trays 6. Each of the compartments 10 is closed by means of a cover 13 having side flanges 14 and a 60 front or outer flange 15, the former being pivotally mounted upon the hinge rod 12. The side flanges 14 of the several covers 13 frictionally engage the partitions 9 so as to prevent the covers from opening accidentally when the table 65 top is stored on edge.

Also pivotally mounted upon the hinge rod 12 within each of the compartments 10 is a card holding and retaining receptacle 16 having a bottom 17 and side flanges 18. Spring clips 19, 70 20 and 21 are secured to the surface 3 constituting the bottom of the compartments 10, bottom 17 of the receptacle 16 and cover 13 so as to resiliently and respectively retain hands of cards V¹ b°ttom of the compartment 10, receptacle 76 16 and within the cover 13 respectively. In the embodiment illustrated three hands, a, b, c, each consisting of thirteen pre-shuffled cards, are resiliently held within each compartment 10, and are preferably played in order, but it will be understood that one or any desired number of playing hands may be disposed within each compartment.

When it is desired to play a particular hand, it is only necessary to swing the cover 13 vertically against the frictional resistance between the flanges 14 and partitions 9 to the position illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing and remove such hand from within the compartments 10, cover 13 of receptacle 16. Similarly it is possible to play at any time any particular hand by likewise swinging the particular cover bearing thereon the number of the hand to be played, without disturbing the other hands contained in the compartments. The spring clips 19, 20 and 21, which grip the hands,- are numbered in agreement with the inclusive numbers shown on cover 13. When the covers 13 are in closed position, they are disposed flush with the playing surface I and constitute in effect a continuation thereof. These covers may be numbered as illustrated so : as to indicate the hands contained within the several compartments and the order in which they preferably should be played. Also, if desired the table may be provided with means, such as an arrow 22, indicating north in which posi- : tion the top preferably should remain throughout the playing of the different hands. The playing surface I of the table top may also be provided with other suitable indicia of informatory character, such as scoring data and instruc- : tions as to how the different hands are to be played.

For convenience in playing the hands in predetermined order it may be advisable to provide identifying numerals also on the spring clip &lt; members 19, 20 and 21 within each compartment. These numerals identify and correspond to the hands held by such spring clip members in each compartment, and further indicate, as 1, 2, 3 etc., the preferred order in which the 4 hands should be played.

For example, top spring clip member 21 may be provided with the numeral I in the first compartment, the intermediate spring clip member 20 with the numeral 2 and the lower spring clip 6 member 19 with the numeral 3, thereby indicating that the hands are to be played from top to bottom in each compartment. It will be understood that in the succeeding compartments from left to right the corresponding spring clip 5 members are further numbered in progressive order as indicated in the drawing on the covers of said compartments.

It will be understood that the above description of the numbering of the hands within the 6 compartments and the order of playing applies equally to each of the four sides of the table.

Certain features of the invention may be employed advantageously without employing others, and the appended claims have therefore been 6 drawn in such a way as to set forth various useful combinations, only the more specific of these claims being directed to a device including all of the features.