Help with histroy of obscure vintage Pool Table

[ks_shooter]

I am trying to find out the history on a pool I inherited from my Grandfather. As I recall he said he bought it from a pool hall that was closing in Wichita, KS back in the 1950's. The table has a name plate that says:

J.H. McCool Table
Wichita, KAN.
PAT'D Others Pending

The table has a three piece 1" slate top. It also has an internal ball return system that seems to be the subject of US Patent 1,391,909 from 1921 assigned to a James H. McCool (who also has other patents related to pool tables).

I have found a 1917 newspaper reference to a pool hall in Topeka, KS called "J.H. McCool's". A Chicago newspaper story from 1923 shows a picture of McCool attending a pool tournament between a one armed player named Frank Burns and Frank Reid on a special table designed by McCool that racked the players balls separately as they played.

This table and the inventor/builder seem obscure (rare), but I don't know if that makes the table valuable. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mr. Bond]

It is a bit rare I've never seen one in person.
These are from April 1923

 

[Mr. Bond]

These are from May 1923.
If you like, I can email "full size" copies of these to you.

The exhibition from your newspaper photo

 

[Mr. Bond]

Easier to see

 

[Mr. Bond]

There was a lever on the table that you could switch as each player took their turn that would send the balls they made into a different ball tray for easy scoring etc. It had never been done before.

 

[ks_shooter]

Mr. Bond,

Thank you for the replies. The table I have is a little different from the one in the ad you showed and also from the Chicago tournament photo. My table only has four legs and the ball return holding tray is different.

The ad giving the name of the company is really interesting. They must have produced several models of tables. I wonder how long they were in business?