US2544970A

US2544970A - Process for making detachable cue tips

Info

Publication number: US2544970A
Application number: US39389A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward R Watson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-07-19
Filing date: 1948-07-19
Publication date: 1951-03-13
Anticipated expiration: 1968-03-13

Description

March 13, 1951 R WATSON 2,544,970

5: PROCESS FOR MAKING DETACHABLE CUE TIPS Filed July 19, 1948 .L". fi. more INVENTOR BY W- ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 13, 1951 friendlies F RMAKING-DET eHABLE con TIPS 7,

Edw rd R., -Wr i on Y ungstown, Ohio.

This invention relates to a process for forming a detachable one tip construction for billiard cues, and more particularly, has reference to a process for forming a, tip for a cue stick designed to be detachable, adapted to transmit pressures through the strongest points of connection, and further designed to be of exceptional strength, and yet both inexpensive and durable.

Detachable cue tips are not inthemselves new in the art. However, the ordinary processes for making a cue tip detachable have brought forth certain problems not encountered where a tip is permanently connected to the cue stick, and the advantage derived through the detachable arrangement has been offset, in all instances of which I am aware, by the disadvantages resulting from inability to make a sufliciently strong connection, the transmission of strains through weak parts of the connection, prohibitively expensive construction, or a combination of any or all of these.

It is intended in the present invention to provide a process for a detachable cue tip construction that will permit the user to secure the advantages of a detachable cue tip without at the same time imparting to the construction the disadvantages mentioned above, or in other words a process for making a cue tip detachable while at the same time keeping its conriect'on to the cue stick in proper alignment, and as strong or even stronger than the conventional permanent connection.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of aprocess, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim,;it being understood that changes may be made'in said process without departing from the spirit of'the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing Figure 1 is an elevation of the end portion of a cue stick having my tip attached.

Fig. 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is a secton on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the refcrence character 5 designates a wooden one stick. I form that end of the cue stick 5 to which the tip is attached with a tapered annular shoulder 6, from which extends a generally cylndrical tenon I, that is aligned axially with the cue stick. The tenon I is formed with spaced par,- allel annular grooves 8, that define spaced and parallel annular ribs 9.

A plastic tip is designated Ill, and the outer Applicationtl ulylii, 194s,; serialNb. 39,389 1 ciain'i. (stern-.10 Y

2 surface of this tip is tapered to permit the tip to be an extension of the conventionally tapered one stick 5. I 'have found that this tip is best molded to shape in a suitable die, and when it is in a state of liquidity I extend the tenon 1 and shoulder 6 of the cue stick into one end of the die, so that when the material from which the tip III is formed hardens, it is bonded permanently to the cue stick. In tests which have been made, it has been found that the plastic flows around the tenon, upon curing, and due to the pressure the plastic shrinks around the tenon and into the grooves 8. During the tests made, attempts to remove this plastic tip Ill have resulted only in its being literally crushed to pieces by reason of its having united so strongly to the wood.

In the other end of the tip I0, I form an axially disposed and internally threaded socket II extending inwardly from the outer shoulder I2, that is preferably disposed perpendicularly to the axis common to all the parts.

The threaded opening I I may be either tapped after curing of the plastic tip, or molded in while the plastic still has a flow characteristic. Preferably, the latter method is used, since the threads can be molded during the same operation of molding the tip It to the cue stick 5.

A leather shock tip I3 is provided, and exteriorly, this is of conventional appearance. This shock tip, however, is formed with an open-.-' ing at its inner end in which is firmly embedded a plastic stud I4, which may have a button I5 to make the connection more secure. The stud I4 projectsfrom' the inner end of the leather shock tip, and is threaded conformably to the threads of the opening I I. When the detachable shock tip I3 is connected to the plastic tip I6, the stud It is threaded into opening II to an extent whereby the flat inner end of the shock tip that surrounds the stud I4 is compressed slightly against shoulder I2 of the plastic tip II}. As a result, when shocks are taken by the shock tip during use of the cue stick, the force is transmitted not through the threaded connection of the tip In and the shock tip, but rather, is transmitted in an annular path through the engaging shoulders. This eliminates a weakness common to-most detachable con nections of the same general type, wherein all or a good part of the strain is absorbed by the threaded connection, weakening or loosening said connection.

Advantages residing in the construction devised may now be noted. I have been able to eliminate entirely the use of any metal parts or parts of undue weight, since weight at the operating end of a cue stick is wholly undesirable. The detachable cue tip construction is light, and yet is of tremendous strength, and provides for a channeling of shock pressures through paths where they will not damage any connections or weakenthem. Additionally, the construction is simple, and relatively inexpensive, and yet accomplishes all the desirable results of a detachable cue tip arrangement.

What is claimed is:

The process of providing a detachable tip construction for cue sticks that includes the steps first of forming an integral axial tenon upon the end of a wooden cue; positioning said tenon in a tip mold having therein plastic material in a fluid state until the plastic material hardens around and is bonded to said tenon; molding into said plastic material while it is still in its fluid state a threaded recess; embedding in a leather shock tip a threaded plastic stud; and finally threading said stud into the threaded recess until the leather shock tip is compressed against the plastic material.

EDWARD R. WATSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 192,044 Hill June 12, 1877 1;077,664 Ankenmann Nov. 4, 1913 2,212,780 Koch Aug. 27, 1940