Air hockey is a very unique game and the history of the hockey tables is an interesting one. It begins around 1969 when three employees at the Brunswick Billiard company thought it would be cool to have a game that included a surface that was frictionless. This idea never made it to completion, but about three years later a fellow employee decided to tweak the idea and make it playable. This was a success and the invention by Bob Lemieux became a hit.

The initial setup was simple and consisted of a disc that was struck by the players by a square mallet. At each end of the table there were photo sensors to alert a goal and doorbells were placed to sound the scoring of the goal. Lemieux thought his invention was good enough to present to customers and ended up being a huge success. The frictionless table design is still used today and is credited to the three original designers.

Todays hockey table uses a large, very smooth surface as the playing area. Metal railings surround the entirety of the table and can be used for bank shots and keeping the disc on the table. Goals are located at either end of the table and are nothing more than thin slits just a little bigger than the thickness of the puck. Finally, there is a puck return under the goal for fast retrieval.

The inside of most tables is filled with the machinery used to make the table work. The components are there to form a pocket of air on the table to reduce friction to allow the puck to move much faster. The top of the table has many tiny holes punched into it that allow the air to be distributed on the surface.

There are other tables that do not use air to reduce the friction. These products use a flat surface that is very slick to reduce the friction. The surface of these can be made of plastic or stainless steel. The reason these tables are made is to allow the people who love the game to afford the cheaper prices and low upkeep these provide. Sometimes a puck can be added that will produce its own cushion of air by using a battery operated fan.

When playing this hockey game you will have a table that can handle only two people. There are tables made that can have four and even six players at a time. These bigger tables are only recreational and are not sanctioned.

Other than the table, the only thing needed to play is a puck and two mallets. All of the designs are very simple in their nature. The puck is a very thin polycarbonate disc that can be red, green, or yellow and the mallets are a small handle stuck to a flat surface. This flat surface sets even with the table.

There are certainly competitive competitions, but for the most part this game is for recreational entertainment. Companies are always looking for ways to make the experience a little better. There are products that glow, some have unique lighting, and the designs are even evolving.

Author Bio: Established in 1975, Canada\’s largest distributor and operator of coin operated amusement machines offers entertainment operation solutions like Toronto billiard table, game room furniture, arcade game rental Toronto, and pinball repair for your business needs.

Category: Entertainment
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