GB2179867A - Potting aid for snooker-type games - Google Patents

Abstract

A potting aid has a front bridge 10 which allows any size of table games ball to pass through. A rod 14 joins the bridge to a rear leg 12 and both the bridge and the rear leg have sights to assist in aligning the aid with a pocket centre. A slide 18 with a sighting pin 16 is mounted on the rod and is movable along the rod but movement is restricted between two stops. The distance between the stops is variable depending upon the size of ball in use. With the slide in the forward position the aid is offered up to the object ball so that the pin is at a vertical tangent to it and the aid is aligned with the pocket centre. The slide is then withdrawn to its rear position at which point the sighting wire determines the path a cue ball, when struck about its centre by a cue, should take in order to strike the object ball at the correct point to pot it into the pocket. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Potting aid This invention relates to a potting aid for table ball games such as snooker, billiards or pool in which various object balls require to be potted into a pocket of a multi-pocket table by using a cue and a cue ball. Where the cue ball is not in line with an object ball and a pocket into which it is to be potted, it is necessary to hit the object ball with a cue ball at a particular position (hereinafter referred to as "said particular position") It is the object of the present invention to provide a potting aid to assist in correctly identifying on the object ball said particular position at which the cue ball is to hit thereagainst.

According to the present invention, a potting aid for table ball games comprises a front upright bridge joined to a rear leg by a rod and from which a sighting wire depends for location against an object ball.

Preferably, the sighting wire is fixed to a slide which is movable along the rod. A scale is preferably marked off along the rod for use in locating the sighting wire.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of one end of a ball game table showing two pockets, a cue ball and an object ball, and illustrating in broken line the path that the cue ball has to move along to strike the object ball at said particular position to cause the object ball to move along a path towards and into a pocket; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a potting aid according to the present invention and showing the position of said aid relative to a cue ball and an object ball.

Referring to the drawings, a potting aid comprises a front bridge 10 linked to a rear leg by a rod 14. The rod has a scale marked off for use in locating a sighting wire 16 which is fixed to a slide 18 and which is movably mounted thereon.

In use, the potting aid is used to practise hitting an object ball 22 into a pocket 20 with the use of a cue 24 and a cue ball 26, the object ball being when positioned as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; The cue ball's path being designated A and the object ball's path being designated B. The aid is located as shown in Fig. 3 i.e. to the right hand side of path A.

The rod 14 is located in line with path B and is positioned over the object ball. The sighting wire 16 is located 1/2 ball width from the vertical diameter of the object ball. In this position it indicates the line of aim for the said particular position at which the cue ball has to strike the object ball in order for the object ball to be potted into pocket 20.

1. A potting aid comprising a front bridge, which will allow any size of table game ball to pass through, joined to a rear leg by a rod to which is mounted a slide and sighting pin.

2. A potting aid as claimed in 1 wherein stops are provided on the rod to control the distance of the sliding movement of the slide and sighting pin.

3. A potting aid as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein sights are provided on the front bridge and rear leg to assist in aligning the aid with any given pocket.

4. A potting aid substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1-3 of the accompanying drawings.

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

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Potting aid This invention relates to a potting aid for table ball games such as snooker, billiards or pool in which various object balls require to be potted into a pocket of a multi-pocket table by using a cue and a cue ball. Where the cue ball is not in line with an object ball and a pocket into which it is to be potted, it is necessary to hit the object ball with a cue ball at a particular position (hereinafter referred to as "said particular position") It is the object of the present invention to provide a potting aid to assist in correctly identifying on the object ball said particular position at which the cue ball is to hit thereagainst. According to the present invention, a potting aid for table ball games comprises a front upright bridge joined to a rear leg by a rod and from which a sighting wire depends for location against an object ball. Preferably, the sighting wire is fixed to a slide which is movable along the rod. A scale is preferably marked off along the rod for use in locating the sighting wire. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of one end of a ball game table showing two pockets, a cue ball and an object ball, and illustrating in broken line the path that the cue ball has to move along to strike the object ball at said particular position to cause the object ball to move along a path towards and into a pocket; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a potting aid according to the present invention and showing the position of said aid relative to a cue ball and an object ball. Referring to the drawings, a potting aid comprises a front bridge 10 linked to a rear leg by a rod 14. The rod has a scale marked off for use in locating a sighting wire 16 which is fixed to a slide 18 and which is movably mounted thereon. In use, the potting aid is used to practise hitting an object ball 22 into a pocket 20 with the use of a cue 24 and a cue ball 26, the object ball being when positioned as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; The cue ball's path being designated A and the object ball's path being designated B. The aid is located as shown in Fig. 3 i.e. to the right hand side of path A. The rod 14 is located in line with path B and is positioned over the object ball. The sighting wire 16 is located 1/2 ball width from the vertical diameter of the object ball. In this position it indicates the line of aim for the said particular position at which the cue ball has to strike the object ball in order for the object ball to be potted into pocket 20. CLAIMS

1. A potting aid comprising a front bridge, which will allow any size of table game ball to pass through, joined to a rear leg by a rod to which is mounted a slide and sighting pin.

2. A potting aid as claimed in 1 wherein stops are provided on the rod to control the distance of the sliding movement of the slide and sighting pin.

3. A potting aid as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein sights are provided on the front bridge and rear leg to assist in aligning the aid with any given pocket.

4. A potting aid substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1-3 of the accompanying drawings.