GB2174611A - Adjustable length cue - Google Patents

Abstract

A telescopic cue for billiards, snooker and the like comprises received (30) and receiving (31) sections and a lock (34) mounted on the receiving section to fix the relative axial positions of the two sections, and hence the length of the cue. In a preferred embodiment the receiving section (31) is the forward of the two sections and the lock (34) is mounted on its rearward end. Preferably the lock comprises an external ring acting on an internal resilient core and rotateably moveable between locked and free positions. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and relating to cues This invention relates to improvements to cues as used in the games of billiards, snooker, pool, bar-billiards and the like. The word "cue" in this specification is intended to encompass cues intended or adapted for use in any of these games.

Billiard cues are traditionally made of wood either in one piece or of several pieces glued or laminated together. Recently cues have been made in pieces screwed for assembly to form a cue of the length required; dismantled, the cue is then easier to transport, carry or store due to the shorter length of the individual pieces. However before use these have to be re-assembled and if during play a longer length of cue is required either an extension piece would need to be fitted or a separate longer cue obtained; the opposite of course applies if a shorter cue is required, as for instance in playing pool.

Our cue according to the invention differs from existing forms of cues in so far as the means of altering or adjusting the desired length of the cue are available without the need to fit an extension piece or using an additional separate cue. The cue according to the invention has a self-contained means to enable the user to instantly alter and adjust the overall length of the cue as desired. A range of materials other than the traditional wood can be used in its construction offering a variety of designs and finishes.

In our U.K. Patent Application No. 8505406 we describe an improved cue, the length of which is telescopically adjustable.

Preferably the cue according to our earlier application comprises a butt section including a grip, a central section adapted for telescopic engagement with the butt section and having means to mount a cue tip, and a lock to fix the relative axial positions of the butt and central sections.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention described in U.K. Patent Application No.

8505406 the lock is comprised in the butt section and is axially spaced from the grip, and the central section comprises a rod slideably receivable in the coaxial bores in the lock and grip.

This invention relates to improvements in the invention described and claimed in our earlier Patent Application, the whole of which is incorporatd herein by reference.

In one improved version, the lock is comprised in the central section rather than the butt section, and the butt section comprises a rod slideably receivable in co-axial bores in the lock and the central section.

We have discovered that this configuration, which is not specifically described in our earlier Patent Application, gives substantial advantages of balance and handle over the configuration already described in which the lock is part of the butt section.

We have also devised an application of the principle of the telescopically extendable cue described in our earlier Patent Application to a type of prior art extension piece now in use.

One known method of extending cues when the need arises entails the use of an extension piece with a socket at one end which is a push fit over the butt end of a conventional standard length cue. The other end of the extension piece is a conventional butt. In use the extension piece is fitted over the butt end of the standard cue.

We have now discovered that the principle of a telescopically extendable cue as disclosed in our earlier application can be advantageously applied to the extension piece rather than the cue itself.

Thus we now provide a cue extension comprising a butt section including a hand grip, a central section adapted for telescopic engagement with the butt section and having a socket adapted to take by push fit the butt of a standard length cue, and a lock to fix the relative axial positions of the butt and central sections. In effect this is a telescopically extendable cue as described in our earlier Patent Application, in which the means to mount the cue tip is a socket adapted to take the butt of a standard cue.

In the new cue extension described above the lock may be comprised either in the butt or in the central section.

Preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a general isometric view of a telescopically extendable cue according to our U.K. Patent Application No. 8505406, in which the lock is comprised in the butt section.

Figure 2 is an axial sectional view of the same embodiment.

Figure 3 is a general isometric view, corresponding to Figure 1, of a cue according to the present invention in which the lock is comprised in the central, rather than the butt, section.

Figure 4 is an axial sectional view, corresponding to Figure 2, of a cue according to the present invention in which the lock is comprised in the central, rather than the butt, section.

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a general isometric view and an axial sectional view of a cue extension according to the present invention in which the lock in comprised in the butt section.

Figure 7 is a general isometric view of a cue extension according to the present invention in which the lock is comprised in the central section.

Figures 8a and 8b show respectively in axial cross section and in general isometric view, the locking device preferably used according to the invention.

Turning first to Figures 1 and 2, these show a preferred embodiment of the invention described and claimed in our earlier patent application.

The embodiment shown consists of a butt section 1 in which a central section 2 is telescopically received. The butt section comprises a grip 3 and a lock 4. The grip 3 and lock 4 are axially bored to receive a cylindrical tube or rod 5 constituting the main part of the central section 2. Although this part is described herein for brevity as a rod it will be understood that a tube of similar diameter may equally well be used with a saving in weight and is within the scope of the invention. At the outer end of central section 2 is a collar or bush 6 having a threaded socket 7 to receive the threaded end of a cue tip 8.

Rod 5 passes through a bore in lock 4 and into an axial cylindrical bore in grip 3. The lock 4 consists of a collet device as shown in figures 8 and 8a comprising a core 10 (preferably of nylon) threadably engaged in a grip 11. Knurled grip 11 is threadably mounted on core 10 and when tightened compresses core 10 to grip rod 5 securely and fix the relative axial positions of the butt and central sections.

Rod 5 must be a good sliding fit in lock 4 and grip 3.

Figures 3 and 4 show a preferred embodiment of a telescopic cue within the scope of our earlier Patent Application, in which the lock is comprised in the central section rather than the butt section. In these figures, the butt section is shown generally at 30 and the central section generally at 31. The butt section 30 comprises a grip 32 and a rod 33 slideably received in the central section 31. At the rear end of the central section 31 is a lock shown generally as 34 and at the opposite end a tapped plug 35 to receive a cue tip 36. The central part 37 of the central section is a rod or tube.The lock 34 can be of the same type as described in our earlier Patent Application, and subsequently in the present description with reference to Figures 8 and 8a; however in the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 the locking ring is preferably entirely cylindrical, rather than having a frustoconical section, so as to form a straight continuous outline when the butt and central sections are closed up.

Figures 5 and 6 show a telescopic cue extension according to the present invention corresponding generally to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 but in which the tapped bush or collar 6 is replaced by a socket 51 adapted to receive and retain the butt of a cue of standard length 52. The butt section 53 of the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6 is as described above with reference to Figures 2 and 3 or in our earlier Patent Application and will not be described herein in more detail.

The socket 51 may be made of any suitable material the choice of which is within the capacity of those skilled in the art, but it is preferred to use a slightly flexible natural rubber or plastics material which is capable of holding and retaining the cue butt 52 by means of a push fit while giving the whole assembly, cue plus extension, sufficient regidity.

Figure 7 shows a modification of the extendable cue described with reference to Figures 3 and 4, in which the tapped bush 35 is replaced by a socket 71 adapted to receive and retain the butt of a standard cue 72. The butt section 73 and the central section 74 of this cue extension are (apart from the socket 71) similar to that described above with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

Although we have stated in our earlier Patent Application that the locking device used is a form of the well-known collet device as used in chucks and many other applications, we describe below for the sake of completeness the particular form which this device takes in billiard cues according to preferred embodiments of the invention. Such a device is shown in axial cross-section in Figure 8a and in an isometric view in Figure 8b. The butt section of the cue is shown at 81 and carries co-axially therewith a core 82 formed of nylon or other resilient material. The core 82 comprises a cylindrical threaded portion 83 and a tapering frusto-conical section 84 divided by radial slots 85 which divide the conical part 84 into tongues. The lock also comprises a generally cylindrical cover 86 with a internally threaded part 87 adapted to threadably engage the threaded part 83 of the core and a frusto-conical part 88 dimensioned to bear on the tongues. When the cylindrical part 86 is engaged with the core 82 and tightened the tongues are forced against the rod or tube 89 received in the lock and axial movement of the rod or tube 89 in the grip 81 is prevented.

The disclosure in our earlier Patent Application with respect to the materials of which the cues according to the invention may be constructed and variations and modifications of their construction are equally applicable to the embodiments described herein.

Claims (7)

1. A cue the length of which is continuously adjustable comprising two telescopically engaged sections one of which is received telescopically in the other and a lock to fix the relative axial positions of the two sections by frictional engagement.

2. The cue of claim 1 comprising central and butt sections, the lock being mounted on the rearward end of the central section and the forward part of the butt section telescopi cally received in the lock and the central section.

3. The cue of claim 1 or 2 in which the lock is mounted co-axially with the received and receiving sections on the inner end of the receiving section and comprises an external ring rotable about the common axis between a locked position in which the lock is frictionally engaged with the received section to prevent relative axial movement of the two sections and a free position in which the lock is disengaged from the received section which is then free for axial movement relative to the receiving section to change the length of the cue.

4. The cue of claim 3 in which the lock comprises a resilient inner generally cylindrical core surrounding the receiving section and having an external bevelled surface and a cylindrical externally threaded surface and the external ring has an internal bevelled conical surface and a cylindrical internal threaded surface, the cylindrical threaded surfaces of the core and the ring being threadably engaged so that rotation in one sense of the ring relative to the core urges the bevelled surfaces together and the core into engagement with the received section while rotation of the ring in the other sense relative to the core separates the bevelled surfacesallowing the core to disengage from the received section and the received section to move freely through the core.

5. The cue of any preceding claim in which the forward end of the central section is tapped to receive a cue tip.

6. A cue extension being a cue of any of claims 1 to 4 in which the forward end of the central section comprises a co-axial socket of a resilient material.

7. The cue of claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore specifically described with reference to the drawings.