GB2046600A

GB2046600A - Billiard cue

Info

Publication number: GB2046600A
Application number: GB7913752A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-04-20
Filing date: 1979-04-20
Publication date: 1980-11-19

Abstract

A billiard cue comprises a shaft having a tip attached by a screw threaded attachment, and a chamber for storing spare tips which are held in position by a spring 117. A transparent section 111 contains a label. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Billiard cue This invention relates to a billiard cue.

Traditionally known billiard cues have a tip which is attached by means of adhesive and because of insufficient strength of the adhesive the tip often becomes detached from the cue. In addition, the replacement of a worn tip is very inconvenient since it is necessary, after a tip has been attached to the cue, that the adhesive should be allowed to dry, resulting in the storing of the billiard cue for a long period. Furthermore, a billiard-player always has his own personal cue, but such billiard cues are commonly available and are always of the same type.

With such a cue it is not possible generally to distinguish one cue from another or to display a favourite or other marking.

According to the present invention there is provided a billiard cue comprising a detachable tip member adapted to be secured to one end of a cue shaft by means of inter-engagement means provided on both the tip member and the cue shaft.

Preferably the inter-engagement means comprises screw threaded means which may take the form of a threaded socket on the cue shaft and a threaded screw shank on the tip member.

Preferably, a billiard cue constructed in accordance with the invention is provided with a hollow chamber in the handle end of the cue, which chamber is provided with spring means for securing therein spare tip members. The chamber may be defined buy a hollow tubular extension extending axially from the cue shaft and an end cover engageable with the tubular extension. Preferably, the tubular extension and end cover are engageable by screw threaded attachment therebetween.

The end cover is preferably a two part construction in which one part comprises a transparent tubular member which, in the assembled condition of the billiard cue, is arranged to be located on a circular flange on the cue in the region of the junction of the tubular extension and cue shaft. The transparent tubular member and tubular extension preferably define a space therebetween for receiving a label having a distinguishing mark printed thereon.

Therefore there has been disclosed a billiard cue which has a tip which can be easily and quickly replaced by a spare tip which can be stored in the chamber provided at the handle end of the cue.

Furthermore, the provision of the transparent tubular member as part of the end cover conveniently allows the display of a billiard player's distinguishing mark without interfering with the external surfaces of the billiard cue. Such distinguishing mark may of course be replaced by any other marking as desired.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a billiard cue according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the billiard cue of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a part sectional view of a butt end of the billiard cue of Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. 1 there is shown a billiard cue having a handle 11 and a tip element 13 on the cue shaft 14 which is made of wood.

As will be more clearly seen from Fig. 2, the tip 13 comprises a contact portion 131 mounted on a body 132 having a screw threaded shank 133. A threaded socket 141 is provided at the tip end of the cue shaft for receiving the screw threaded shank 133 of the tip.

The contact portion 131 is of leather while the body 132 is of a plastics material. When the leather part of the tip is worn or torn it can be simply renewed by unscrewing the tip and replacing it with a new one which is preferably stored in a chamber 112 in the handle 11 of the cue.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating in greater detail the construction of the handle 11 of the billiard cue of the invention.

The handle 11 is provided with a hollow end cover 12 internally screw threaded at 121 to receive a thread portion 113 of a tubular extension 114 extending from the cue shaft 14. The cover 12 and extension 114 together define the chamber 112 into which sparetips 116can be loaded. Thetips 116aresec- ured in position in chamber 112 by means of a spring 117 which may be compressed or stretched in accordance with the number of spare tips in the chamber so that spare tips do not move about to unbalance the cue or cause unwanted noise during use of the cue.

Between the cover 12 and handle 11 is provided a frustoconical transparent tubular element 111 of plastics material through which may be seen a lable having a distinguishing marking 115, such as the word ARIES which is a sign of the zodiac. The label is preferably located between the tube 111 and the extension 114.

Therefore, the cover 12 has two functions: firstly it acts to seal the chamber 112 and prevent spare tips in the chamber from falling out, and secondly it serves to protect the handle and transparent tube 111 against accidental damage when the cue is dropped on its handle end.

Cover 12 and transparent socket 111 can be of an integral structure, i.e. combined as a single element during manufacturing of the cue.

Therefore, there has been described a billiard cue having a construction which will allow a tip to be simply and quickly replaced in seconds so that the cue may be used immediately after repair. Furthermore, by removal of the cover 12 and transparent tubing 111 any special distinguishing marking can be applied to the cue without effect upon its use by a billiard player.

1. A billiard cue comprising a detachable tip member adapted to be secured to one end of a cue shaft by means of inter-engagement means provided on both the tip member and the cue shaft.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Billiard cue This invention relates to a billiard cue. Traditionally known billiard cues have a tip which is attached by means of adhesive and because of insufficient strength of the adhesive the tip often becomes detached from the cue. In addition, the replacement of a worn tip is very inconvenient since it is necessary, after a tip has been attached to the cue, that the adhesive should be allowed to dry, resulting in the storing of the billiard cue for a long period. Furthermore, a billiard-player always has his own personal cue, but such billiard cues are commonly available and are always of the same type. With such a cue it is not possible generally to distinguish one cue from another or to display a favourite or other marking. According to the present invention there is provided a billiard cue comprising a detachable tip member adapted to be secured to one end of a cue shaft by means of inter-engagement means provided on both the tip member and the cue shaft. Preferably the inter-engagement means comprises screw threaded means which may take the form of a threaded socket on the cue shaft and a threaded screw shank on the tip member. Preferably, a billiard cue constructed in accordance with the invention is provided with a hollow chamber in the handle end of the cue, which chamber is provided with spring means for securing therein spare tip members. The chamber may be defined buy a hollow tubular extension extending axially from the cue shaft and an end cover engageable with the tubular extension. Preferably, the tubular extension and end cover are engageable by screw threaded attachment therebetween. The end cover is preferably a two part construction in which one part comprises a transparent tubular member which, in the assembled condition of the billiard cue, is arranged to be located on a circular flange on the cue in the region of the junction of the tubular extension and cue shaft. The transparent tubular member and tubular extension preferably define a space therebetween for receiving a label having a distinguishing mark printed thereon. Therefore there has been disclosed a billiard cue which has a tip which can be easily and quickly replaced by a spare tip which can be stored in the chamber provided at the handle end of the cue. Furthermore, the provision of the transparent tubular member as part of the end cover conveniently allows the display of a billiard player's distinguishing mark without interfering with the external surfaces of the billiard cue. Such distinguishing mark may of course be replaced by any other marking as desired. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a billiard cue according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the billiard cue of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a part sectional view of a butt end of the billiard cue of Fig. 1. Referring now to Fig. 1 there is shown a billiard cue having a handle 11 and a tip element 13 on the cue shaft 14 which is made of wood. As will be more clearly seen from Fig. 2, the tip 13 comprises a contact portion 131 mounted on a body 132 having a screw threaded shank 133. A threaded socket 141 is provided at the tip end of the cue shaft for receiving the screw threaded shank 133 of the tip. The contact portion 131 is of leather while the body 132 is of a plastics material. When the leather part of the tip is worn or torn it can be simply renewed by unscrewing the tip and replacing it with a new one which is preferably stored in a chamber 112 in the handle 11 of the cue. Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating in greater detail the construction of the handle 11 of the billiard cue of the invention. The handle 11 is provided with a hollow end cover 12 internally screw threaded at 121 to receive a thread portion 113 of a tubular extension 114 extending from the cue shaft 14. The cover 12 and extension 114 together define the chamber 112 into which sparetips 116can be loaded. Thetips 116aresec- ured in position in chamber 112 by means of a spring 117 which may be compressed or stretched in accordance with the number of spare tips in the chamber so that spare tips do not move about to unbalance the cue or cause unwanted noise during use of the cue. Between the cover 12 and handle 11 is provided a frustoconical transparent tubular element 111 of plastics material through which may be seen a lable having a distinguishing marking 115, such as the word ARIES which is a sign of the zodiac. The label is preferably located between the tube 111 and the extension 114. Therefore, the cover 12 has two functions: firstly it acts to seal the chamber 112 and prevent spare tips in the chamber from falling out, and secondly it serves to protect the handle and transparent tube 111 against accidental damage when the cue is dropped on its handle end. Cover 12 and transparent socket 111 can be of an integral structure, i.e. combined as a single element during manufacturing of the cue. Therefore, there has been described a billiard cue having a construction which will allow a tip to be simply and quickly replaced in seconds so that the cue may be used immediately after repair. Furthermore, by removal of the cover 12 and transparent tubing 111 any special distinguishing marking can be applied to the cue without effect upon its use by a billiard player. CLAIMS

2. A billiard cue as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tip member comprises a body and a contact portion attached thereto.

3. A billiard cue as claimed in claim 2, wherein the body is of plastics material and the contact portion is of leather.

4. A billiard cue as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the inter-engagement means comprises screw threaded means.

5. A billiard cue as claimed in claim 4, wherein the screw threaded means comprises an internally threaded socket on the cue shaft and a threaded screw shank on the tip member.

6. A billiard cue as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising a chamber in the handle end of the cue.

7. A billiard cue as claimed in claim 6, wherein the chamber is defined by a tubular extension extending axially from the cue shaft and an end cover engageable with the tubular extension.

8. A billiard cue as claimed in claim 7, wherein the tubular extension and end cover are engageable by screw threaded attachment therebetween.

9. A billiard cue as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the end cover is a two part construction.

10. A billiard cue as claimed in claim 9, wherein one part of the end cover comprises a transparent tubular member.

11. A billiard cue as claimed in claim 10, wherein the transparent tubular member is arranged to be located at one end on a circular flange on the cue in the region of the function of the tubular extension and the cue shaft.

12. A billiard cue as claimed in claim 10 or 11, further comprising a space between the transparent tubular member and the tubular extension, in the assembled condition of the cue, for receiving a label having a distinguishing mark thereon.

13. A billiard cue as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 12, further comprising a spring located in the chamber for securing spare tip members therein.

14. A billiard cue substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.