US3881727A - Marking disc for pool games - Google Patents

Abstract

Thin plate-like body members are each provided with an equally thin magnetic pad for securing the body members to the periphery of a pool table so as to present a low profile. The body members each have a circular configuration with indicia thereon which simulates and identifies a different group of pool balls and the body numbers are each positioned on the edge of the pool table to mark the pocket on the table in which the last ball of a respective group was deposited.

Description

D United States Patent 1 1111 3,881,727

Olson May 6, 1975 [54] MARKING DISC FOR POOL GAMES 3,716,935 2/1973 Friederichs 35/7 A X [76] inventor: Michael L. Olson, 34 Pines Edge FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS Mobile Eau Claire, 5470 842,480 7/1960 United Kingdom..............,.... 35 7 A [22] Filed: Sept. 17, 1973 Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham [21] Appl' 397388 Assistant Examiner-R. T. Stouffer Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Merchant, Gould, Smith & 521 US. (:1. 273/14; 40/325; 116/120 [51] Int. Cl A63d 15/00 [58] Field of Search 273/1 M, 2, 3 R, 8, 9, [57] ABSTRACT 273/1 1 U 32 187 A; 35/7 29 Thin plate-like body members are each provided with R; 40/2 142 3271 325; 116/120 an equally thin magnetic pad for securing the body members to the periphery of a pool table so as to pres- [56] References cued ent a low profile. The body members each have a cir- U I S S PATENTS cular configuration with indicia thereon which simu- 964,236 7 1910 0111110 273/11 R at s and identifies a different group of ool balls and 2,643,466 6/1953 the body numbers are each positioned on the edge of 3,080,664 3/1963 the pool table to mark the pocket on the table in 3,136,547 6/1964 which the last ball of a respective group was depos- 3,237,94l 3/1966 itecL 3,684,294 8/1972 3,711,091 1/1973 2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures MARKING DISC FOR POOL GAMES The present invention relates to marking devices in general and is specifically concerned with a marking device adapted for use with pool tables.

In the game of pocket pool a rectangular table with six peripheral pockets, a cue stick, cue ball, and fifteen additional balls are normally employed. The additional balls are divided into two groups. A first group of balls (l-8) are each solidly colored with an identifying number thereon and a second group of balls (9-15) each have a circumferential stripe with a number in the stripe. In the specific game of eight ball a first single or group of players shoots a first group of solid colored balls (I-7) while a second single or group of players shoots a second group of striped balls (945) until such time as a last ball of a given group is deposited in a given pocket. Thereafter, the players or one of the group of players of such group must deposit the eight ball in the same pocket the last ball entered. In practice, there are constant and considerable disputes as to which pocket the last ball went into when no positive means for identifying the particcular pocket are used.

The present invention contemplates providing a pair of markers, which are constructed to simulate a ball in a given one of the groups of balls, for indicating into which pocket the last ball of the particular group was deposited. Each marker includes a circular plate-like body member having a magnetic pad secured to one planar opposite surface area thereof whereby the body member may be retained in position adjacent the pocket to be indicated. The body member and magnet have relatively thin material thicknesses and cooperate with each other to present an extremely low profile so as to reduce the chance of accidental dislodgement from a marking position on the peripheral edge of the pool table. Identification means, in the form of indicia applied to the other planar opposite surface area of the body members, is employed to difierentiate between the body members and indicate the first and second group of pool balls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the views;

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a conventional pool table illustrating the use of a pair of markers constructed in accordance with the present invention thereon;

FIGS. 2 and are top plan views of the markers shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a marker of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the marker of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a view in vertical section as seen from the line 6-6 of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring initially to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a conventional pool table is indicated generally by the numeral 10. Typically, such pool tables 10 are formed to include a peripheral edge portion 11, a playing surface 12, and a plurality of pockets [3 (in this case six) arranged in the pattern shown at spaced points peripherally of the playing surface 12. Cue sticks, not shown,

are usually provided to shoot a cue ball 14 in a direction to strike one of a plurality of additional balls 15 to cause them to be deposited in a selected one of the pockets 13.

As above described, constant and considerable disputes have arisen as to which pocket the last ball went into in the pool game of eight ball". To alleviate this problem, 1 provide a pair of markers A, B for indicating a given position relative to the peripheral edge 11 of the pool table 10. Markers A, B are formed from a pair of relatively thin plate- like body members 20, 21 each having planar, opposite surface areas identified at 22, 23 respectively. In the present embodiment, each of the markers A, B is formed with an identical configuration and differ only in identification means for differentiating one of the body members 20 from the other of the body members 21 so as to indicate a first and second group of pool balls 15, as will be described hereinafter. Therefore, in the interest of brevity, reference numerals designating the various parts of the marker A will apply to the like parts of the marker B.

Each marker A, B includes a retainer means associated with one of the opposite surface areas 23 of each body member 20, 21 for maintaining the position of the body members 20, 21 at a given location on the peripheral edge 11 of the pool table 10, see FIGS. 1 and 6. As seen, particularly in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, the retainer means 25 of each body member 20, 21 has a relatively thin thickness dimension which is substantially equal to that of a respective body member 20, 21. Thus the body members 20, 21 cooperate with their respective retainer means 25 to present a relatively low profile when supported on the peripheral edge 11 of the pool table 10, see FIG. 6. This, of course, reduces the probability that a marker A, B will be accidentally dislodged from the peripheral edge 11 by the arm of a player so as to fall either on to the playing surface 12, or to the floor.

In practice, the retainer means 25 may be formed from a material having an extremely high coefficient of friction with supporting surfaces on which the markers A, B may be placed. However, as illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings, pool tables 10 presently manufactured generally incorporate a metallic skin 26 which encloses the wood material which generally forms the peripheral edge I] of the pool table 10. Such metal skins 26 are normally provided with a painted simulated wood surface which is extremely smooth and which provides a surface having an extremely low coefficient of friction relative to an article supported thereon. With this in mind, the retainer means 25 of the markers A, B preferably takes the form of a magnet which will be magnetically attracted to the metallic skin 26. The magnet forming the retaining means 25 may be formed from a relatively thin flexible plastic material having magnetic particles embedded therein which is presently available on the market. The latter type retaining means 25 would, of course, aid in retaining the markers A, B in a position should the peripheral edge 11 be constructed solely of wood or other nonmagnetically attractable material. While the magnetical type retainer means 25 is preferred, other retainer forms may be employed. For example, a projection or the like may be provided to penetrate and anchor the body members 20, 21 directly to the rubber pad lla normally associated with the peripheral edge 11. A further example might be a fabric type material, such as that available under the 3 trademark VELCRO. Such material would, when pressed against the felt fabric enclosing the bumper 11a, adhere thereto sufficiently to secure the body members 20, 21 in place.

Identification means for differentiating one of the body members from the other body member 21, whereby to indicate a first and second group of pool balls 15 associated with the pool table 10, is provided. Each of the body members 20, 21 is of a plate-like circular configuration and includes identification means in the form of indicia 22a, 22b applied to the surface 22 of each body member 20, 21 in a manner to simulate a given group of pool balls 15. With respect to body member 20, indicia 22a is applied in the form of a solid color with a numerical designation disposed generally centrally of the body member 20. With respect to the body member 21, the indicia 22b is applied in the form of a solid colored stripe extending diametrically of the body member 21 with a numerical designation disposed generally centrally of the solid colored stripe. in this manner, the marker A represents a first group of solid colored balls 15 (l-7) while the marker B represents a second group of striped balls 15 (9-15).

Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that placement of markers A, B on the edge 11 of pool table 12 will positively identify the particular pocket in which a last ball 15 of the group of balls 15 entered and the proper pocket 13 into which the final eight ball 15a must be deposited by a given player.

In addition to their obvious utility as marking devices, the markers A, B may in addition serve as an advertising media by applying suitable trademarks, logos, brand names, etc. to the open spaces of the surface area 22, such as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

What is claimed is:

l. A pool table including a set of balls for playing the game of pool and a pair of markers for indicating given positions relative to the peripheral edge of the pool table, in combination, comprising:

a. said pool table having a playing surface, a plurality of pockets positioned at spaced points peripherally of the playing surface, and a peripheral edge portion surrounding the playing surface;

b. said set of balls including a first group of pool balls provided with indicia of a first design on the surface of each pool ball thereof to designate said first group as the solid color group and a second group of pool balls provided with indicia of a second design on the surface of each pool ball thereof different from said indicia of said first group of pool balls to designate said second group as the striped color group;

c. said pair of markers comprising a pair of relatively thin plate-like body members each having opposite surface areas;

d. retainer means associated with one of said opposite surface areas of each body member for maintaining the position of said body members at a given location on said peripheral edge of the pool table;

e. identification means associated with the other of said opposite surface areas of each body member for differentiating one of said body members from the other of said body members;

f. the identifcation means of one body member simulating the design of said first group of pool balls; g. the identification means of the other body member simulating the design of said second group of pool balls; and

h. said retainer means of each body member having a relatively thin thickness dimension substantially equal to that of respective body members whereby said body members and respective retainer means cooperate to present a relatively low profile when supported on the peripheral edge of the pool table.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said peripheral edge of the pool table is formed to include a magnetic material and wherein said retainer means is a magnet associated with said one surface area of each body member.

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Claims (2)

1. A pool table including a set of balls for playing the game of pool and a pair of markers for indicating given positions relative to the peripheral edge of the pool table, in combination, comprising: a. said pool table having a playing surface, a plurality of pockets positioned at spaced points peripherally of the playing surface, and a peripheral edge portion surrounding the playing surface; b. said set of balls including a first group of pool balls provided with indicia of a first design on the surface of each pool ball thereof to designate said first group as the solid color group and a second group of pool balls provided with indicia of a second design on the surface of each pool ball thereof different from said indicia of said first group of pool balls to designate said second group as the striped color group; c. said pair of markers comprising a pair of relatively thin plate-like body members each having opposite surface areas; d. retainer means associated with one of said opposite surface areas of each body member for maintaining the position of said body members at a given location on said peripheral edge of the pool table; e. identification means associated with the other of said opposite surface areas of each body member for differentiating one of said body members from the other of said body members; f. the identifcation means of one body member simulating the design of said first group of pool balls; g. the identification means of the other body member simulating the design of said second group of pool balls; and h. said retainer means of each body member having a relatively thin thickness dimension substantially equal to that of respective body members whereby said body members and respective retainer means cooperate to present a relatively low profile when supported on the peripheral edge of the pool table.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said peripheral edge of the pool table is formed to include a magnetic material and wherein said retainer means is a magnet associated with said one surface area of each body member.

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