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Title:
CENTRING DEVICE OF TIPS ON BILLIARD CUES
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2004/041376
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
Centring device of cue tips (5) on billiard cues, comprising a guide element (6) that in use is arranged coaxially to the shaft end (10) of a cue and a sliding element (2) arranged coaxially with respect to the guide element and with a cue tip (5). The sliding element (2) slidingly engages on an external surface of the guide element (6) thus being always coaxial on said guide element. With its coaxial movement the sliding element (2) causes the cue tip (5) to centre on the shaft end (10) of the cue. The guide element (6) has a tapered hole (9) which allows the guide element (6) same to fit the external surface of the shaft end (10) of the cue in order cause its external surface to be coaxial to the cue (10).

Inventors:
CARDIELLO MARCO (IT)
Application Number:
PCT/IB2003/005047
Publication Date:
May 21, 2004
Filing Date:
November 10, 2003
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
CARDIELLO MARCO (IT)
International Classes:
A63D15/12; (IPC1-7): A63D15/12
Foreign References:
US1381386A1921-06-14
US4471824A1984-09-18
GB190919783A1910-05-05
GB190911897A1910-05-21
FR394097A1909-01-14
DE14694C
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Celestino, Marco (Viale Giovanni Pisano 31, Pisa, IT)
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Claims:
CLAIMS
1. Centring device of cue tips on billiard cues characterised in that it comprises: a guide element that in use is arranged coaxially to a cue on a shaft end thereof ; a sliding element that in use moves coaxially on said guide element and is suitable for causing said cue tip to centre on said shaft end of the cue.
2. Device, according to claim 1, wherein said guide element has a hole with tapered side walls suitable for engaging with the external surface of the shaft end of the cue and to cause it to fit the shaft end in a way that it is coaxial to the shaft end.
3. Device, according to claim 1, wherein said guide element is made of a first half and a second half, said first and said second halves having a surface with a tapered channel for fitting the external surface of the shaft end of the cue.
4. Device, according to claim 3, wherein said tapered channels of said first and said second halves when coupled form said tapered hole.
5. Device, according to claim 3, wherein said first and said second halves have flexible inner surface in order to adapt symmetrically to the tapered outer surface of said shaft end.
6. Device, according to claim 3, wherein said first and said second halves are blocked with at least one guide ring to fit the shaft end of the cue.
7. Device, according to claim 1, wherein said guide element has substantially cylindrical side surface that in use is coaxial to the cue.
8. Device, according to claim 1, wherein said sliding element is engaged to a support having a recess in which said cue tip is located.
9. Device, according to claim 8, wherein said support is made of resilient material, said cue tip being inserted into said recess by forcing elastically with its periphery.
10. Device, according to claim 1, wherein said sliding element is a tubular element having its inner surface that slidingly engages on the external surface of said guide element.
11. Device, according to claim 1, wherein at least one means of interposition is provided that sealingly adapts between said support and said sliding element so that they move integrally to each other.
12. Device, according to claim 1, wherein said sliding element comprises a central body connected to at least one sliding rod moving in a channel of the guide element, or in a channel operatively connected to said guide element, so that the central body and the guide element can approach/move away from each other.
13. Device, according to claim 1, wherein a sliding rod is integral to the guide element and slides in at least one recess made in the sliding element.
14. Device, according to claim 1, wherein said guide element and said sliding element are operatively connected by at least one connection rod.
15. Device, according to claim 1, wherein said guide element comprises a tubular element with inner screw threaded surface engageable at an end with an external screw threaded surface of a support for the cue tip and at the other end with a screw threaded outer surface of a body having a tapered hole.
16. Device, according to claim 15, wherein said support has a screw threaded surface to it coaxial engageable with the surface of a seat in which said cue tip is located.
17. Device, according to claim 1, wherein said sliding element can move in the tubular guide element like a piston in a cylinder, moved by a stem.
18. Device, according to claim 1, wherein said guide element comprises means for containing said cue tip and said sliding element when moving centres said means for containing and then the cue tip with respect to the shaft end.
Description:
TITLE CENTRING DEVICE OF TIPS ON BILLIARD CUES DESCRIPTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to an auxiliary device for billiard players and in particular it relates to a device for centring cue tips on billiard cues at the moment of its application to the shaft end of the cue.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the production of such a device.

Description of the prior art As known, billiard players, in particular expert players, often require replacing the cue tip mounted at the shaft end of the cue. The cue tip is usually made of leather or similar material and for this reason is also known as "leather cue tip". The cue tip is of a material much softer than the other materials that make up the cue and through it the balls are hit. Therefore, the hit is precise and effective and a desired spin can be given to the ball if the cue tip is in optimal conditions.

The cue tip is to be replaced because owing to humidity and wear it looses the desired softness, but also because it can move from a centred position if gluing has not been made correctly, thus preventing from hitting the ball giving a desired spin. The cue tip deteriorates owing to a high number of hits and to frequent rubbing with chalk.

In particular, at the shaft end of the cue, which hits the ball, the cue tip has a convex upper portion that is softer than the lower portion.

At the moment of the change of the cue tip, for easy fastening the cue tip to a ferrule located at the shaft end of the cue, the lower surface of the cue tip is clean and then glued to the upper surface of the ferrule. This step

must be carried out with precision so that the vertex of the convex surface is located on the axis of the cue, thus allowing to hit the ball in a desired way and to have a symmetric wear of the cue tip. Furthermore, the cue tip is normally subject to a plurality of operations of finishing, i. e. smoothing, polishing the upper surface, and rubbing down the side faces in case they exceed too much the width the ferrule.

The player carries out such operations, and in particular gluing, by hand and for this reason the cue tip centring is not precise. This causes a not uniform wear of the cue tip and in particular of the convex profile that affects the effectiveness of the hit on the ball. In particular, the manual change of the cue tip is carried out by spreading glue on the free face of ferrule and on the lower face of the cue tip, waiting that the glue starts to harden for then joining the two faces.

Therefore, when the cue tip is put on the ferrule, it cannot be adjusted any more and if it is not centred the whole step of preparation must be repeated.

Summary of the invention It is therefore a feature of the present invention to provide a centring device of cue tips on billiard cues for applying with high precision and quickly the cue tip on the shaft end of the cue.

It is a particular a feature of the present invention to provide a centring device of cue tips on billiard cues that is compact so that it is easily portable by the player.

It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a centring device of cue tips on billiard cues that is easy to use and not expensive to make.

These and other objects are accomplished by the centring device of cue tips on billiard cues, according to the present invention, comprising:

- a guide element that in use is arranged coaxially on the shaft end of the cue; - a sliding element that in use moves coaxially on said guide element and is suitable for causing said cue tip to centre on said shaft end of the cue.

Advantageously, the guide element has a hole with tapered walls suitable for engaging with the external surface of the shaft end of the cue and to cause it to fit the shaft end same in a way that is certainly co-axial to the shaft end.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment of the device the guide element is made of a first half and a second half, said first and said second halves having a surface that has a tapered channel for fitting the external surface of the shaft end of the cue.

The tapered channels of said first and said second halves form together said tapered walls of said hole.

Alternatively, the first half and the second half have flexible inner surface, for example rubbery or spongy surface, in order to adapt symmetrically to the tapered outer surface of the shaft end.

Once located on the shaft end, the first and second halves are blocked with at least one blocking ring in order to maintain the fit with the shaft end same.

Advantageously, the side surface of said guide element is substantially cylindrical parallel to the axis of symmetry of the cue in operative conditions.

In particular, the sliding element is engaged to a support having a recess in which the cue tip is located.

This determines an integral movement of the sliding element and of the support.

Preferably, the support is made of resilient material so that the cue tip is inserted into the recess forcing elastically its periphery.

In a possible exemplary embodiment of the invention, the sliding element is a tubular element having the inner surface that slidingly engages on the external surface of the guide element. In particular, the support with the cue tip is arranged at the end of the tubular element opposite to the cue. This way, the sliding element and the support move together coaxially to the cue in order to centre the cue tip on the shaft end of the cue with high precision.

Advantageously at least one means of interposition is provided that sealingly adapts between the tubular element and the support. This means of interposition is for example a gummy material and allows fastening steadily the support with the cue tip within the sliding element during its movement.

According to a particular aspect of the invention the sliding element of tubular shape can be assembled with the support engaged to an end, the guide element arranged inside and a means of closure at the other end in order to provide a structure compact and easily transportable.

In an alternative exemplary embodiment the sliding element comprises a central body connected to at least one sliding rod moving in a channel of the guide element, or in a channel operatively connected to said guide element, so that the central body and the guide element can approach/move away from each other.

Alternatively, a sliding rod is integral to the guide element and slides in at least one recess made in the sliding element.

Advantageously, the guide element and the sliding element are operatively connected by at least one connection rod.

In another exemplary embodiment of the invention the guide element comprises a tubular element with screw threaded inner surface. In particular, an end of the tubular

element engages with an external screw threaded surface of the support with the cue tip. The other end of the tubular element engages, instead, with a body having a hole with tapered surface within which the shaft end of the cue slides up to a position in which they fit. After fitting the guide element on the cue the support is screwed in the tubular element for approaching the cue tip to the ferrule present on the shaft end.

Advantageously, the support has a screw-threaded surface to it co-axial engageable with the surface of a seat in which said cue tip is located. Therefore, at the moment of the removal of the device the seat is unscrewed from the support and remains fixed to the cue tip from which it is separated in a second moment.

Such solution allows avoiding that, once matched the cue tip to the ferrule of the shaft end, the cue tip same is displaced owing to the twisting stresses caused by the removal of the support from the tubular element.

According to a further exemplary embodiment the sliding element can move in the tubular guide element like a piston in a cylinder, moved by a stem.

In a further exemplary embodiment, said guide element comprises means for containing said cue tip and said sliding element when moving centres said means for containing and then the cue tip with respect to the shaft end.

Brief description of the drawings The invention will now shown with the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings wherein: - figures 1 and 2 show an elevational side front view, respectively in an exploded configuration and in assembled configuration, of a first exemplary embodiment according to

the invention of the device for centring cue tips on billiard cues; - figures 3 and 4 show respectively a perspective elevational side view and a longitudinal cross section of a possible exemplary embodiment of a guide element; - figures 5-8 show diagrammatically the steps through which is the cue tip is centred on the cue and fixed by the device of figure 1 ; - figures 9 and 10 show a perspective elevational front view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of the device shown in figures 5 and 6; - figures 11 and 12 show a perspective elevational front view of another alternative exemplary embodiment of the device shown in figures 5 and 6 ; - figures 13 and 14 show a perspective elevational front view of a further alternative exemplary embodiment of the device shown in figures 5 and 6; - figure 15 shows a top plan view of the device of figure 13 and 14; - figures 16 and 17 show a top plan view of two possible exemplary embodiments of the fastening means for keeping in position the guide element; - figures 18,19 and 24,25 show a perspective elevational front view of other exemplary embodiments of the device shown in figures 5 and 6; - figures 20,21 and 22,23 show in assembled configuration and in exploded view two possible exemplary embodiments of the support of the cue tip; - figures 26 and 27 show in longitudinal cross section an alternative exemplary embodiment for the guide element of figures 3 and 4.

Description of the preferred exemplary embodiment Figures that are described hereafter show some possible exemplary embodiments of a centring device of cue

tips on billiard cues, according to the present invention, comprising normally a guide element 6, which in use is arranged coaxially to a shaft end 10 of a cue, and a sliding element 2, which moves coaxially to the guide element and to a cue tip 5.

As shown in the exploded view of figure 1 in a first exemplary embodiment of device 1 sliding element 2 is a tubular element having an inner surface that slidingly engages on the external surface of guide element 6 (figure 5). In particular, in the case shown in figures 3 and 4, guide element 6 is made of a first half 6a and a second half 6b having channels that form together a hole 9 with tapered surface. Tapered hole 9 allows guide element 6 to fit the external surface of a tapered shaft end 10 in such a way that eventually the external cylindrical surface is parallel to the axis of the cue 10 (figure 7). The first half 6a and the second half 6b of guide element 6 are blocked on shaft end 10 of the cue with two guide rings 7. Therefore, in this case tubular element 2 is slidingly engaged on the external surface of guide rings 7.

In operative conditions (figures 5 and 6) a support 3, having a recess 4 in which cue tip 5 is arranged, engages with the end of tubular element 2 coaxially to it and opposite to shaft end 10. Support 4 is made of resilient material, for example rubber, so that cue tip 5 is inserted into recess 4 forcing elastically its periphery. Both cue tip 5 and ferrule 11 have been prepared for being glued, i. e. cleaned and spread with glue respectively on surfaces 5a and lla.

A sealing element 15 is provided, for example an 0- ring, made of elastomeric material, which is arranged between sliding element 2 and support 3 to allow them to move integrally to each other. This way, cue tip 5 is displaced up to approaching with its lower surface the upper

surface of ferrule 11, which is arranged at shaft end 10 of the cue, at the same time centring them with high precision (figure 6). Once ended the centring step of shaft end 10 and guide element 6, tubular element 2 is withdrawn and then guide rings 7 are removed (figure 7) to free shaft end 10 with its cue tip 5 located correctly on ferrule 11 (figure 8).

As shown in figure 2, when device 1 is not used it can be assembled with support 3 fit into place at an end of the tubular element 2, the guide element arranged inside and a means of closure 8 at the other end of tubular element 2, in order to provide an article that is compact and easily portable.

In figures 9 and 10 an alternative exemplary embodiment is shown of device 1 where sliding element 2 works also as support 4 to cue tip 5. Sliding element 2 comprises a central body 3 connected to two rods 12 sliding in recesses 13 made in guide element 6, in order to approach/move away from each other guide element 6 and central body 3. Even in this case, guide element 6 can be made in two halves 6a and 6b, which have surfaces adjacent to shaft end 10 with a tapered channel. The two halves 6a and 6b are blocked with straps 17, or with clamps 17a or 17b tightened, for example, by a bolt 18a (figure 18) or a terminal screw 18b (figure 19).

Alternatively, sliding rods 12 are integral to guide element 2 and slide in recesses 13 made in sliding element 2 (figure 13 and 14).

According to a further exemplary embodiment shown in figures 11 and 12, guide element 6 and sliding element 2 are operatively connected by means of rods 14. As shown in figure 12 rods 14 are flexible, whereby guide element 6 slides while opening in a way co-axial to shaft end 10 of the cue.

In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, guide element 2 comprises a tubular portion with a screw threaded inner surface. In particular, an end of the screw- threaded surface of guide element 2 engages with an external screw threaded surface of support 3 provided with a recess 4 in which cue tip 5 engages. The other end of the screw threaded surface of tubular element 2 engages with a body 16 having a tapered hole 9 within which the shaft end slides 10 up to fit body 16 on shaft end 10 (figure 18 and 19). After fitting guide element 6 on the cue shaft, support 3 is screwed in the tubular element for approaching cue tip 5 to ferrule 11 present on shaft end 10.

Furthermore, for avoiding that, once ended the fastening step of cue tip 5 on ferrule 11 of shaft end 10, the removal of support 3 causes an undesired movement of cue tip 5 from the correct position, in support 3 a screw threaded surface created to it co-axial with a seat 4. This screw-threaded surface can extend either for only a portion (figures 20,21) or for all the length (figures 22,23) of support 3. Therefore, when removing device 1 recess 4 is unscrewed from support 3 and it remains fixed to cue tip 5 from which it is separated in a second moment.

According to a further exemplary embodiment shown in figures 24 and 25, sliding element 2 can move in tubular guide element 6, like a piston in a cylinder, moved by a stem 20. In case of figures 24 and 25 the co-axial sliding movement of sliding element 2 can guided by rings 21, but the same result can be obtained by engaging the inner surface of tubular element 6 with the external surface of sliding element 2.

Finally, in figures 26,27 a possible exemplary embodiment is shown 106 of the guide element executed in a first and a second half 106a and 106b, having a flexible inner surface 107a, 107b, for example rubbery or spongy

surface, in order to adapt symmetrically to the tapered outer surface of shaft end 10.

From the above it is apparent that the inventive concept is to provide a guide element that in use is arranged coaxially on the shaft end of the cue as well as a sliding element that in use moves coaxially on said guide element with the function of centring the cue tip on the shaft end of the cue. The centring action is obtained assuring a coaxial relationship among the guide element, the sliding element and the cue. By moving the sliding element on the guide element an automatic centring of the cue tip on the shaft end is obtained.

Notwithstanding reference has been made to an application of the cue tip to the sliding element in association to a movement of the sliding element on the guide element, it is not excluded that the cue tip is mounted directly on the shaft end, and that the movement of the sliding element on the guide element causes the cue tip to centre on the shaft end of the cue. For example, the guide element can comprise means for containing the cue tip and the sliding element, with its movement, centres the means for containing and the cue tip on the shaft end. Or, the sliding element may have a tapered recess that, when moving the sliding element on the guide element, it centres the cue tip that is put on the shaft end of the cue. Both these exemplary embodiments have the same features of the invention and can centre the cue tips by moving the sliding element on the guide element coaxially to the shaft end of the cue.

The foregoing description of a specific embodiment will so fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt for various applications such an embodiment without further

research and without parting from the invention, and it is therefore to be understood that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the specific embodiment. The means and the materials to realise the different functions described herein could have a different nature without, for this reason, departing from the field of the invention. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.




 
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