GB2234182A - Apparatus for practising snooker strokes - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for practising snooker strokes comprises a horizontal guide member 10 positioned at the height of a standard snooker table, a tethered ball 11 mounted at one end of the guide member and spring-loaded by a compression spring 12 towards the other end of the guide member, a flat hand rest 15 mounted on the guide member at the level of the bottom of the ball, and a hand guide rail 21 to guide the player's cue hand towards the ball. The hemispherical surface of the captive ball 11 which faces the player is marked with targeting such as a central spot 22 and an outer ring 23. A tension spring 18 is anchored at the end of the guide member 10 for attachment to the wrist of the (vertical) lower arm of the player to resist forward movements during the stroke. Further apparatus for practising snooker strokes, Figs 4 & 5 (not shown) comprises a straight, horizontal guide member (40) having an end cushion (42), the guide member provides a channel-like track or rail (41) along which snooker balls (46, 47) can be driven by means of a snooker cue, and a flat hand-rest (43) is located at or towards the other end of the guide member. <IMAGE>

Description

APPARATUS FOR PRACTISING SNOOKER STROKES This invention relates to apparatus for practising strokes for table ball-games such as snooker, billiards or pool; for convenience, reference will be made simply to snooker.

The growing popularity of snooker has produced a demand for not only playing tables but also practice facilities.

Practice can be an expensive exercise if, as is usual, full-size playing tables are employed; small-size tables are not usually favoured, particularly by serious players.

Individual tuition is also expensive, and competent instructors are rarely readily available.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for use in practising snooker strokes, which is simple and inexpensive to produce and use and which requires only a modest amount of floorspace.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for practicing snooker strokes, comprising a horizontal guide member to be positioned at the height of a standard snooker table, a tethered ball mounted at one end of the guide member and spring-loaded towards the other end of the guide member, a flat hand rest mounted on the guide member at the level of the bottom of the ball, and a hand guide rail at the other end of the guide member, whereby a player can practice strokes by placing one hand on the hand rest and striking the captive ball with a snooker cue, the players cue hand being guided by the hand rail to move correctly towards the ball.

Preferably, a knuckle guard such as a leather cushion is provided to slide along a horizontal groove in said hand guide rail. Preferably also, the hemispherical surface of the captive ball which faces the player is marked with targeting such as a central spot and an outer ring.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a tension spring is anchored at said other end of the guide member for attachment to the lower arm of the player to resist forward movements during the stroke. This resistance is useful in improving those arm muscles which are important to a serious exponent of the game, and also promotes a straight and horizontally aligned movement of the lower arm.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a straight, horizontal guide member has at one end a resilient cushion which simulates part of the cushion of a snooker table, the guide member being positioned at the height of a snooker table and providing a channel-like track along which snooker balls can be driven by a snooker cue, and a flat hand-rest located at or towards the other end of the guide member at approximately the level of the bottom of the balls.

Suitably, the guide member comprises a channel having upwardly-divergent side walls on which the snooker balls rest.

The aforementioned horizontal hand rests may be adjustable in position along their guide members, and preferably comprise a platform having an upper face which simulates the green baize surface of a snooker table.

Embodiments of the invenion will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation showing an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a section on the line II-II of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section on the lineIII-III of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side elevation showing another embodiment of the invention; and, Figure 5 is a section on the line ki - V of Figure 4 Referring to. Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, the apparatus comprises a horizontal guide member 10 formed of shaped metal section and mounted on suitable end supports (not shown) to lie at approximately the level of a standard snooker table.

A tethered (snooker) ball 11 is firmly mounted at the remote end of the guide member on a horizontal stem 12 and is urged by compression spring 13 towards the other end of the member.

The ball 11 may rest gently on a channel 14 mounted in the member 10.

A flat hand-rest 15, which is covered with green baize and may be about 20cm square, is mounted on the guide member 10 and, as can be seen from Figure 2, the rest has an axial tongue 16 which enters channel 17 in the shaped member 10.

At the rear end of the guice member 10, a tension spring 18 is anchored on a block 19 and an arm-strap 20 is secured to the free end of the spring. In front of the block 19 is a channel-like guide rail 21.

In use, a player addresses the ball 11 with his cue held in such a manner that his upper arm is approximately horizontal and his lower arm approximately vertical. In this position, the player's knuckles rest in the guide rail 21, and the apparatus preferably includes a cushion (not shown) to protect the knuckles. The cushion may be of leather or flexible hide and provided with a securing band or strap.

The player can then practice strokes by repeatedly striking the (cue) ball 11 which, through the action of the -spring 13, presents a reaction similar to that experienced in striking the cue ball in normal play. The ball 11 is preferably marked with a central 'spot' 22 and an outer target ring 23, to assist the player in striking the ball centrally or slightly offset as in a spin shot.

When the arm strap 20 is attached round the wrist of the (vertical) lower arm of the player, the restraining action of the spring 18 acts to develop and strengthen the relevant muscles in the player's upper and fore arm. A protective sleeve may be provided round the spring.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, the apparatus comprises a horizontal guide member 40 of shaped section, again mounted on suitable end supports (not shown) to lie at approximately the level of a standard snooker table.

A guide rail 41 of general V-section is carried in the guide member 40, and a cushion-like member 42 which is constructed as a part of the side cushion of a standard snooker table, is secured at the remote end of the guide member. That end is preferred to engage a vertical wall or to be otherwise supported against horizontal displacement and, when firmly held in this manner, the cushion member simulates a short length - of the cushion of a standard billiard table.

A hand rest 43, similar to the hand rest 15 in Figure 1, is mounted on the guide rail 41. As shown in Figure 5, the hand rest 43 comprises a flat platform covered with green baize, and has an axial tongue 44 of rounded section which enters the channel in the guide rail 41.

In this embodiment of the invention, where the player's hand tends to be laterally offset from the centre of the guide rail, one or more steadying abutments 45 may extend downwardly to engage the side of the member 40.

As with the hand rest 15, the hand rest 43 is axially movable, but in modified versions, a possibly longer hand rest may be firmly secured in an appropriate position along the guide member.

In use of the apparatus shown in Figures 4 and 5, a player can practice strokes by striking a cue ball 46 to hit a 'coloured' ball 47 which then rebounds from the cushion 42 and the stroke can be repeated. Apart from being useful in practicing a correct cueing action, possibly with supervision or with the aid of a mirror, the apparatus can be used very effectively in perfecting variations such as back-spin. Also, a third ball might be provided for use in practicing so-called 'plants'.

It is also possible that an arm strap and tension spring such as shown in Figure 1 could be employed.

The section and dimensions of the guide rail 41 are of importance in closely simulating the running reaction from the surface of a standard snooker table. One section which has given very good results in test is shown in Figure 5. This rail is formed as a polished wooden section having upwardly-divergent inner sides 48 to which strips 49 of green baize or felt are secured by adhesive. With an inner base width of about 1 cm, an overall width of about 5.3 cm and a height of 2 cm(extendi ng above the member 40), a snooker ball will rest in the V-shaped track with its sides engaging the baize strips 49, and this arrangement produces extremely satisfactory simulation.

The lengths of the elongated members 10 and 40 are not critical, but overall lengths of about 2.5 metres have proved very satisfactory. The end supports should provide a stable feel to the apparatus but may be collapsible, particularly for home use. Other forms of support are envisaged, such as two or more, possibly-opposed guide members being mounted on common supports, or guide members being secured to suitable lengths of vertical wall.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus may be adapted for use in practicing pool strokes by reducing the height to that of a standard pool table, and the other dimensions to suit the smaller diameter of pool balls.

In one modification of the invention, the tethered ball 11 of Figures 1 to 3 is replaced by a 'free' ball which may be a standard cue ball. With this modified embodiment the free ball may be supported on a guide rail which can be a (shorter) length of the rail 41 shown in Figures 4 and 5. An end stop such as a standard cushion or a less resilient cushion may be provided to arrest the ball after being struck.

Claims (12)

1. An apparatus for practising snooker strokes, comprising a horizontal guide member to be positioned at the height of a standard snooker table, a tethered ball mounted at one end of the guide member and spring-loaded towards the other end of the guide member, a flat hand rest mounted on the guide member at the level of the bottom of the ball, and a hand guide rail at the other end of the guide member, whereby a player can practise strokes by placing one hand on the hand rest and striking the captive ball with a snooker cue, the player's cue hand being guided by the hand rail to move correctly towards the ball.

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, in which a knuckle guard such as a leather cushion is provided to slide along a horizontal groove in said hand guide rail.

3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the hemispherical surface of the captive ball which faces the player is marked with targeting such as a central spot and an outer ring.

4. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which a tension spring is anchored at said other end of the guide member for attachment to the lower arm of the player to resist forward movements during the stroke, and also promote a straight and horizontally aligned movement of the lower arm.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4, modified in that the spring-loaded tethered ball is replaced by a free ball carried by a guide member which may be provided with an end stop such as a cushion.

6. An apparatus for practising snooker strokes, comprising a straight, horizontal guide member having at one end a resilient cushion which simulates part of the cushion of a snooker table, the guide member being positioned at the height of a snooker table and providing a channel-like track along which snooker balls can be driven by a snooker cue, and a flat hand-rest located at or towards the other end of the guide member at approximately the level of the bottom of the balls.

7. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, in which said guide member comprises a channel having upwardly-divergent side walls on which the snooker balls rest.

8. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7, in which said horizontal hand rest is adjustable in position along the guide member.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 6 to 8, in which said horizontal hand rest comprises a platform having an upper face which simulates the green baize surface of a snooker table.

10. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 6 to 9, in which a tension spring is anchored at said other end of the guide member for attachment to the lower arm of the player to resist forward movements during the stroke, and also promote a straight and horizontally aligned movement of the lower arm.

11. An apparatus for practising snooker strokes, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.

12. The features herein described, or their equivalents, in any patentably novel slection.