GB2219517A - Cue sighting aid - Google Patents

Abstract

A cue bears a sighting aid at a position within the user's field of view when using the cue, normally nearer the striking tip of the cue than the user's eyes, so that simply keeping the sighting aid in view assists the player in moving the cue reliably in the intended direction for the cue ball and in avoiding twisting of the cue. The sighting aid may be a V-outline and formed by splicing different coloured wood or by using a sticker, transfer, stencil, filled engraving or inlay. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Cue Sighting Aid DESCRIPTION This invention relates to cues used for striking balls in games generally employing pocketed tables, such as snooker, billiards and pool.

Such games are well known, and many if not most people interested in them are aware of the very high degrees of accuracy needed in striking a cue ball so as to achieve the requisite contact of that cue ball with an object ball, whether to direct the latter into a pocket or to achieve a desired path for the cue ball, or a combination of both. Good eyesight and fine judgement of correct contact points between cue ball and object ball are obviously necessary. However, that is only of value if a player also has what is known as a good cueing action, i.e. one that reliably brings the cue through to the cue ball in a known and reliable manner relative to the intended direction for movement of the cue ball.

It is an object of this invention to provide means by which a cue serves, in use, to assist the player using it in achieving a good cueing action.

According to this invention, there is provided a cue bearing a sighting aid at a position within the user's field of view when using the cue, normally nearer the striking tip of the cue than the user's eyes, so that simply keeping the sighting aid in view assists the player in moving the cue reliably in the intended direction for the cue ball and in avoiding twisting of the cue.

Preferred embodiments of this invention utilise sighting means in the form of visible marking of the cue itself and which can thus advantageously be flush with that surface.

It is envisaged that a suitable sighting aid will involve a small visible part close to the cue tip, conveniently just below any ferrule for the tip itself but feasibly also on or extending onto such ferrule.

A particularly effective sighting aid is found to be one having significant length axially of the cue, preferably also a narrowing towards the cue tip, both of which features appear to serve particularly in "training" the eye of the player when using the cue. A pointed formation as or including an arrow head or a V-outline with small included angles has those features.

There may be a single sighting aid or several about the cue. One embodiment uses splicing of a tip part onto the cue, say after the manner often seen for butt parts. Then, use of different coloured woods automatically gives the desired sighting aids as pointings of the cue body. Such a tip part could have its free end reduced to take a ferrule for holding the tip itself, which reduced part could be removed for fitting such tip directly to the end of the cue. In either case, pointings of the cue body could closely approach even reach the base of the ferrule or a direct-fitted tip.

Alternative ways of achieving a sighting aid hereof include stickers carrying required marking(s), transfers, stencils through which pigmented material can be applied, inlaying, or filling engraved markings, all preferably resulting in a substantially flush finish.

Specific implementation of embodiments of this invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of part of a cue extending from its tip for one embodiment; and Figure 2 is a similar view for another embodiment.

In Figure 1, a spliced end portion is shown of the cue 10 concerned. The cue 10 has an end part 12 spliced onto a main or intermediate part by way of four equally spaced tapering extensions, two only of which are indicated at 12A, B in the particular side view shown. Other side views at 90 degree spacings will be similar.

The main or intermediate part 14 is relieved to take the extensions of the end part 12, and adjacent ones of those extensions, see 12A and 12B, flank pointed unrelieved portions of the main or intermediate part, see 14A, B, C of which there will be four for a four-pronged spliced-on end part 12.

The unrelieved portions (14A, B, C) are shown coming to a point, soe 16, at the bottom edge of a ferrule 18 for holding the cue tip 20 itself. In such a construction, the end part 12 is shown dashed or reduced at 12R within the ferrule 18. Such reduced portion could be removed if the tip 20 was to be secured directly to the end of the end part 12.

It will be appreciated that each of the unrelieved portions (14A, B, C) represents a convergent shape which, when viewed by the user as for position 14B of Figure 1, has a "training" effect for a straight direction of cue movement by way of the user concentrating upon that portion as a pointer for the intended cueing direction. Also, the common problem of twisting the cue about its axis, basically by the user's grip on the cue butt and lower arm movement, is guarded against.

The illustrated long shallow solid V-shape illustrated in Figure 1 conveniently extends about 30 centimetres or more from the cue tip and, as a spliced formation makes a most attractive cue where the butt (not shown) is also spliced onto the intermediate part 14, typically to a length of some 40 to 50 centimetres for an average use of some 140-145 centimetres overall length. For a two-piece cue, often where the intermediate portion is divided by a screw-up joint at half the overall cue length, both of the two halves of the cue can usefully have a spliced construction.

Where a cue tip end is not spliced-on, i.e. the part 14 simply extends through to the cue tip or its ferrule, a cue hereof may have a V-formation applied thereto by contrasting inlaying or by surface application including painting or varnishing, transfers or stencils, etc.

Figure 2 indicates a cue end part 30, ferrule 32, tip 34 and V-shape 36 extending from a maximum width that is useful in terms of being visible to the user, i.e. one half of the circumference of the cue at the relevant position, also to a point at the base of the ferrule 32. There could be two such V-formations diametrically opposite each other on the cue end part 30. Again, they could be markings in outline or solid, or results of spliced construction.

A minimum width for a V-marking or formation will obviously be much narrower, indeed as narrow as is found to be useful in practice.

It is to be appreciated that any way of marking or incorporating a suitable eye-training component or indication may be employed, and that its nature is subject to considerable variation compared with a simple solid or outline V as indicated in the drawings.

Thus, its length could be greater than about 30 centimetres, or considerably less, though it is postulated, in the interests of easy visibility by the users, that a length of at least 10 centimetres is advantageous. Also, a simple straight line may be enough for some users, or an arrow formation including a straight line shaft and connected or spaced head or V. Moreover, extension to or from positions close to the cue tip is considered to be advantageous rather than essential, as is the preference for a substantially flush finish of the cue through the sighting aid location.

Whilst two-piece cues have been mentioned above, the invention is equally applicable to three or more piece cues.

Claims (15)

1. A cue bearing a sighting aid at a position within the user's field of view when using the cue, normally nearer the striking tip of the cue than the user's eyes, so that simply keeping the sighting aid in view assists the player in moving the cue reliably in the intended direction for the cue ball and in avoiding twisting of the cue.

2. A cue as claimed in claim 1, having sighting means in the form of visible marking of the cue itself.

3. A cue as claimed in claim 1, wherein said marking is flush with the cue surface.

4. A cue as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said sighting aid involves a small visible part close to the cue tip, just below any ferrule for the tip itself or on or extending onto such ferrule.

5. A cue as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said sighting aid has significant length axially of the cue.

6. A cue as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sighting aid has a narrowing towards the cue tip.

7. A cue as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sighting aid comprises a pointed formation as or including an arrow head or a V-outline with small included angle.

8. A cue as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 having a single sighting aid or several about the cue.

9. A cue as claimed in claim 8, wherein said sighting aid or aids comprises splicing of a tip part onto the cue.

10. A cue as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sighting aid or aids provided by using different coloured woods.

11. A cue as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the tip part has its free end reduced to take a ferrule for holding the tip itself.

12. A cue as claimed in claim 11 wherein said reduced part is removable for fitting such tip directly to the end of the cue.

13. A cue as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein pointings of the cue body closely approach or even reach the base of the ferrule or a direct-fitted tip.

14. A cue as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the sighting aid or aids is provided by stickers carrying required marking(s), transfers, stencils through which pigmented material can be applied or inlaying or filling engraved markings.

15. A cue substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.