GB2176122A

GB2176122A - Cue tip shaping tool

Info

Publication number: GB2176122A
Application number: GB08613289A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alex Struthers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-06-01
Filing date: 1986-06-02
Publication date: 1986-12-17
Also published as: GB8613289D0

Abstract

A cue tip shaping tool comprises a body member 1 having a recess 2 provided with a shaping member 3 and arranged such that on application of the tool to a cue tip the shaping member 3 fashions the cue tip to the desired shape. The shaping member can be a knife blade or an abrasive pad. The tool may contain a chalk-carrying recess. The tool facilitates the reproducible shaping of cue tips. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cue tip shaping tool This invention relates to a cue tip shaping tool for cutting to shape the tips on snnokercues and the like.

The tips which are fitted to snooker cues wear out or become damaged in use and consequently require to be replaced periodically. When a new tip is fitted to a cue, the tip as then to be shaped carefully to match the shape of the end of the cue and to produce a correctly shaped surfacefor contacting the balls. This is time consuming and results in the possibility of each new tip fitted to a cue having a sl ig htly different shape thus altering the playing characteristics of the cue. A player using the cue thus has to spend time adapting to the altered characteristics of the cue each time a newtip is fitted.

According to the present invention there is provided a cue tip shaping tool comprising a body having a recess, the recess being provided with shaping means for fashioning a cue tip to a desired shape and being adapted to receive an end portion of a cue such that the cue is held in a desired angular relationship to the shaping means.

Preferably, the recess has walls which form guide meansforthe end portion ofthe cue.

Preferably also, the shaping means are arranged forfashioning a cuetipto a dome shape.

The shaping means may be abrasive material arranged on the wall of the recess or a cutting edge arranged in the recess.

Preferably, a plurality of recesses are provided each recess having a differently shaped shaping means.

As an additional feature a chalk holder may also be incorporated in the tool.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lisa perspective front view of one embodi ment of a cue tip shaping tool in accordance with the present invention; Figure2 is a side view ofthe tool of Figure 1; and Figure3 is a sectional view from above ofthetool taken along the lineA-Aof Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second embodi ment of a cue tip shaping tool in accordance with the present invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a third embodi ment of a cue tip shaping tool in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 6 is a perspective view of a fourth embodi ment of a cue tip shaping tool in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 ofthe drawings, a cue tip shaping tool comprises a moulded plastics material block 1 having a dome shaped recess 2 formed in one surface. The recess 2 is provided with a steel cutting member 3, the cutting profile ofwhich is such asto be complementary to the desired shape of a tip on a snooker cue.

In use, when a newtip isfittedto a cue and itis desired to cut the top to the correct shape, the tip is inserted in the recess 2. The recess 2 is of sufficient depth to locate the end ofthe cue accurately so that the tip is presented to the cutting member 3 atthe desired angle. The tool is then rotated so thatthe cutting member 3 pares away the surface of the leath er cue tip material. The process is continued until the tip of the cue has acquired the desired domed shape.

It is thus possible to fashion each newtipfitted to a cue to a closely similar shape quickly and easily.

The embodiment of the tool shown has only a single recess incorporated on it. The alternative embodimentsfurther, differently shaped, recesses may be provided in other surfaces ofthe block 1. These recesses are provided with cutting members with different cutting profiles. It is in this way possible to fashion cue tips to various different curvatures if desired.

Asmall file orsimilarabrasive member mayalso be fitted to one face ofthe block. The file is used to file the base of the tip so that the edge ofthe tip is flush with the end portion of the cue to which the tip is to be fitted.

The block 1 may be produced in shapes otherthan the basic cuboidal embodiment shown. For example, blocks having three, five, six or more sided faces may be produced.

Blocks having a greater number of faces can thus be produced if it is wished to incorporate a number of alternative recesses.

The block 1 may be produced from various alternative materials such as, for example, wood or metal.

The cutting members may either be fi8xed permanently in position or they may be removable so that they may be replaced if they become worn or damaged.

Referring to Figurnsto 6, further embodiments of cue tip shaping tools are illustrated. In the embodiment of Figure 4 the recess 2 is lined with abrasive 4 which serves to shape the cue tip in a similarfashion to the cutting member in the previous embodiment.

In addition a channel 5 is provided on the top surface of the block 1 and contains a further section of abrasive 6. This abrasive 6 can be used to match the side of the tip to the end of the cue. Astiil further section of abrasive 7 is attached to a side of the block 1 and can be used to remove old glue from the top of a cue head before attaching the new tip.

In addition a further recess 8, of a different profile, is provided for fashioning tips to an alternate shape.

The recesses can be made removable so that worn abrasive may be replaced. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5 the block 1 is provided with folding legs 9 and an appropriate groove 10 to allow the tool to be used as a cue rest. A piece of chalk 11 is also incorporated in the block 1.

The embodiment in Figure 6 has a block 12 shaped to followthe curvature of a snooker ball so thatthe tool can be used as a ball marker.

1. A cuetip shaping tool comprising a body hav ing a recess, the recess being provided with shaping means forfashioning a cue tip to a desired shape and being adapted to receive an end portion of a cue such that the cue is held in a desired angular relationship to the shaping means.

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Cue tip shaping tool This invention relates to a cue tip shaping tool for cutting to shape the tips on snnokercues and the like. The tips which are fitted to snooker cues wear out or become damaged in use and consequently require to be replaced periodically. When a new tip is fitted to a cue, the tip as then to be shaped carefully to match the shape of the end of the cue and to produce a correctly shaped surfacefor contacting the balls. This is time consuming and results in the possibility of each new tip fitted to a cue having a sl ig htly different shape thus altering the playing characteristics of the cue. A player using the cue thus has to spend time adapting to the altered characteristics of the cue each time a newtip is fitted. According to the present invention there is provided a cue tip shaping tool comprising a body having a recess, the recess being provided with shaping means for fashioning a cue tip to a desired shape and being adapted to receive an end portion of a cue such that the cue is held in a desired angular relationship to the shaping means. Preferably, the recess has walls which form guide meansforthe end portion ofthe cue. Preferably also, the shaping means are arranged forfashioning a cuetipto a dome shape. The shaping means may be abrasive material arranged on the wall of the recess or a cutting edge arranged in the recess. Preferably, a plurality of recesses are provided each recess having a differently shaped shaping means. As an additional feature a chalk holder may also be incorporated in the tool. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lisa perspective front view of one embodi ment of a cue tip shaping tool in accordance with the present invention; Figure2 is a side view ofthe tool of Figure 1; and Figure3 is a sectional view from above ofthetool taken along the lineA-Aof Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second embodi ment of a cue tip shaping tool in accordance with the present invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a third embodi ment of a cue tip shaping tool in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 6 is a perspective view of a fourth embodi ment of a cue tip shaping tool in accordance with the present invention. Referring to Figures 1 to 3 ofthe drawings, a cue tip shaping tool comprises a moulded plastics material block 1 having a dome shaped recess 2 formed in one surface. The recess 2 is provided with a steel cutting member 3, the cutting profile ofwhich is such asto be complementary to the desired shape of a tip on a snooker cue. In use, when a newtip isfittedto a cue and itis desired to cut the top to the correct shape, the tip is inserted in the recess 2. The recess 2 is of sufficient depth to locate the end ofthe cue accurately so that the tip is presented to the cutting member 3 atthe desired angle. The tool is then rotated so thatthe cutting member 3 pares away the surface of the leath er cue tip material. The process is continued until the tip of the cue has acquired the desired domed shape. It is thus possible to fashion each newtipfitted to a cue to a closely similar shape quickly and easily. The embodiment of the tool shown has only a single recess incorporated on it. The alternative embodimentsfurther, differently shaped, recesses may be provided in other surfaces ofthe block 1. These recesses are provided with cutting members with different cutting profiles. It is in this way possible to fashion cue tips to various different curvatures if desired. Asmall file orsimilarabrasive member mayalso be fitted to one face ofthe block. The file is used to file the base of the tip so that the edge ofthe tip is flush with the end portion of the cue to which the tip is to be fitted. The block 1 may be produced in shapes otherthan the basic cuboidal embodiment shown. For example, blocks having three, five, six or more sided faces may be produced. Blocks having a greater number of faces can thus be produced if it is wished to incorporate a number of alternative recesses. The block 1 may be produced from various alternative materials such as, for example, wood or metal. The cutting members may either be fi8xed permanently in position or they may be removable so that they may be replaced if they become worn or damaged. Referring to Figurnsto 6, further embodiments of cue tip shaping tools are illustrated. In the embodiment of Figure 4 the recess 2 is lined with abrasive 4 which serves to shape the cue tip in a similarfashion to the cutting member in the previous embodiment. In addition a channel 5 is provided on the top surface of the block 1 and contains a further section of abrasive 6. This abrasive 6 can be used to match the side of the tip to the end of the cue. Astiil further section of abrasive 7 is attached to a side of the block 1 and can be used to remove old glue from the top of a cue head before attaching the new tip. In addition a further recess 8, of a different profile, is provided for fashioning tips to an alternate shape. The recesses can be made removable so that worn abrasive may be replaced. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5 the block 1 is provided with folding legs 9 and an appropriate groove 10 to allow the tool to be used as a cue rest. A piece of chalk 11 is also incorporated in the block 1. The embodiment in Figure 6 has a block 12 shaped to followthe curvature of a snooker ball so thatthe tool can be used as a ball marker. CLAIMS

2. Acuetip shaping tool as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the recess has walls which form guide meansforthe end portion ofthe cue.

3. A cue tip shaping tool as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the shaping means are arranged forfashioning a cue tip to a domed shape.

4. A cue tip shaping tool as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the shaping means is abrasive material arranged on the wall ofthe recess.

5. A cue tip shaping tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the shaping means is a cutting edge arranged in the recess.

6. A cue tip shaping tool as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein a plurality of recesses are provided, each recess having a differently shaped shaping means.

7. A cue tip shaping tool as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein a further recess is included in the tool for receiving chalk.

8. A cue tip shaping tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.