GB2442208A

GB2442208A - A snooker, pool or billiards cue including a spirit level

Info

Publication number: GB2442208A
Application number: GB0619170A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Lacey
Original assignee: BCE
Current assignee: BCE
Priority date: 2006-09-28
Filing date: 2006-09-28
Publication date: 2008-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 2026-09-28
Also published as: GB2442208B; GB0619170D0

Abstract

A cue or a section of a cue 1 including a tilt monitoring device 2. Optionally the tilt monitoring device is located in the front of the butt section or the shaft of a three piece cue. Preferably the tilt monitoring device is a spirit level.

Description

Training Cue This application relates to cues for playing snooker,

pool, billiards, bar billiards and the like.

In games such as snooker the angle at which the cue ball is hit has a significant bearing on the accuracy of the shot, in particular, hitting the ball with a substantially horizontal cue tends to avoid imparting "swerve" to the ball. Another benefit is that when the ball is struck with a horizontal cue the majority of the cue's momentum will pass to the cue ball in the same direction so that the ball will travel along the table, whereas if the cue is tilted when it strikes the cue ball much of the momentum will be transferred in a more vertical direction leading to a weaker shot. Furthermore, when the ball is struck in the middle with a horizontal cue there will be a larger contact area than if the ball is struck from an angle closer to the zenith so the shot will be more precise. There are however instances when the ball should be hit with the cue more tilted, for instance, in order to achieve the correct bridging position, when bridging over a ball, or when the cue ball is close to the cushion and the player wishes to apply screw by hitting the ball closer to the bottom.

The invention provides an improved cue, in which the angle of the cue with respect to the horizontal can be monitored.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a cue or section of a cue according to claim 1.

It is envisaged that the cue will be used by trainers in order to train players, therefore according to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of training a person according to claim 10 An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an axial cross section along the line A-A of a cue, or section of a cue embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a partial cross section along the line B-B of a cue or section of a cue embodying the invention.

Figure 3 is a birds eye view of a cue or section of a cue embodying the invention.

Figure 4 is a birds eye view of a section of the cue, embodying one aspect of the invention.

Figure 5 shows an enlarged birds eye view of the spirit level.

It is usual for a cue to be made in one piece, or alternatively in two or three pieces.

A two-piece cue consists of a shaft and a butt section which are usually approximately the same length. A three piece cue consists of a shaft, a slightly shorter butt section and an extension piece which can vary in size, from relatively small, i.e. approximately 0.15m to relatively long, i e. approximately 0.76m which extends the length of the cue by about 50%.

For the purposes of this description, the butt section of a 2-piece cue will be described, but those skilled in the art will understand that the invention could apply to a cue made as one, two, three, or any other number of pieces.

Referring to the drawings, a butt section 1 is provided, having a portion 2 cut away and a spirit level 3 inserted into the cut away portion 2. The rear end of the butt is provided with a bumper 5, usually made of rubber or leather The front of the butt section is provided with the male joint member, in order to connect it to the shaft. Those skilled in the art will understand that the front of the butt section could actually be provided with a female joint member, with the male joint member being provided on the corresponding shaft.

A spirit level is shown roughly in the middle of the butt section, however, the spirit level is preferably placed at a position which is easily viewable by a user when a shot is taken. In a preferred embodiment the spirit level is placed in the front half of the butt section, in a more preferred embodiment the spirit level is placed in the front quarter of the butt section and in a most preferred embodiment of the spirit level is placed approximately 5 cm from the joint to make it easier for the user to see. Those skilled in the art will no doubt realise that the spirit level could equally be useful in the shaft of the cue, or even the extension piece.

Figure 5 shows the spirit level having marks on it in order to gauge the position of the gas bubble, which indicates the attitude of the cue. The marks are arranged to divide the sight glass into these zones: 11, 12 and 13. In use depending on the type of shot being played, the bubble should be in a different place, i.e. the cue at a different angle to the horizontal For example, if the cue ball is in the middle of the table and the player intends to play a simple centre ball shot the bubble should be in zone 11 indicating that the cue is horizontal. If a player is bridging over a ball then the bubble should be in zone 13 indicating that the player has to angle the cue over the ball in order to achieve the correct bridging position. Again if the player is playing a shot from a cushion and is wanting to apply screw back to the cue ball then the bubble should be in zone 12 as the angle with the horizontal will be more acute than when bridging over a ball, close to the cue ball but more obtuse than if the ball was in the middle of the table.

Although the described embodiment of the invention is provided with a substantially cylindrical spirit level, it is envisaged that an embodiment could be made with a partially toroidal sight glass, having an arcuate cross section in the longitudinal direction of the cue, whereby the different angles could be more easily distinguished. It is also envisaged that an electronic spirit level could be used to monitor the angle; it would not matter where this were placed in the cue so long as indicating means was provided in a position easily readable by the user or trainer. To this end, it is envisaged that an electronic spirit level could be connected to wireless transmitting means for broadcasting information relating to the angle of the cue, so that the degree of tilt of the cue could be indicated remotely by a computer connected to corresponding receiving means.

Claims

Claims 1. A cue or section of a cue including a tilt monitoring

device.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tilt monitoring device is in the butt section of the cue or the section of the cue is a butt section
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein section of a cue according to claim 5 wherein the tilt monitoring device is in the front half of the butt section.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the tilt monitoring device is in the front quarter of the butt section.
5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the tilt monitoring device is between 0 and 15cm from the front of the butt section.
6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the tilt monitoring device is between 2 and 10cm from the front of the butt section.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the tilt monitoring device is provided in the shaft of the cue.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the cue is a three piece cue.
9. The apparatus of any of the preceding claims wherein the tilt monitoring device is a spirit level.
10. A method of training a person to play a game in which it is desirable to accurately control the attitude of a cue using of the apparatus of any one of the preceding claims. * * * *.* * * *S** ** ** ** S * 15 S..

S S. *S * S * * S S. * S ** * S.

10. A method of training a person to play a game in which it is desirable to accurately control the attitude of a cue using of the apparatus of any one of the preceding claims.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Claims * 1. A cue suitable for striking a cue ball on a snooker table, or a section of such a cue induding a tilt monitoring device for monitoring the tilt of the cue as the ball is struck.

2. The apparatus of claim I wherein the tilt monitoring device is in the butt section of the cue or the section of the cue is a butt section.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the tilt monitoring device is in the front half of the butt section.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the tilt monitoring device is in the front quarter of the butt section. I... * **S*

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the tilt monitoring device is between 0 and ** 15cm from the front of the butt section. S. ** * . * * S

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the tilt monitoring device is between 2 and 10cm from the front of the butt section.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the tilt monitoring device is provided in the shaft of the cue.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the cue is a three piece cue.

9. The apparatus of any of the preceding claims wherein the tilt monitoring device is a spirit level.