"A POVSEΞ.D CUE" THIS I /ΞϊJTION relates-to a powered cue stick for use in games such as pool, billiards and snooker. The games of pool, billiards and snooker require a high, degree ^' of accuracy in arm movements in striking a cue ball in order to address it successfully and many woulά-be players are, because of problems with arthritis etc., denied an opportunity to become proficient at these games. The invention has for its object the construction of a cue stick that enables many more players to become proficient at the table than does the commonly used cue stick.

The invention aims to overcome the above disadvantages by providing, a powered cue stick whereby a player may set the length, of travel of the cue's stroke and also its impact force. To this end, the powered cue stick can be provided with means for both setting the degree of compression of a spring and another means whereby the length of travel of the cue is controlled. Tlie player, having set his cue, lines up the cue ball and releases a trigger mechanism.

With the above objects in mind, the invention resides broadly in a powered cue stick wherein both the impact force of the cue upon the cue ball and the length of travel of the cue are set by manipulation of setting mechanisms and wherein energy stored within the powered cue stick can be released by a trigger mechanism to cause the cue tip to strike the cue ball. In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:- Fig. 1 shows a cue stick according to the invention in plan view;

Pig. 2 shows a sectional side elevation of

OMP

the cue stick of Pi . 1;

Pig. 3 illustrates the cue stick's attachments; and

Pig. 4 illustrates a bipod rest. The powered cue of Pig. 1 is constructed about; an outer tube 10 from which projects the cue stick 11 carrying cue tip 12. Cue stick 11 is spring driven by spring 30, viewable within slot 32 in tube 10, Cue stick 11 is disconnectahly attached to rod 1-4- which operates a catch mechanism via which rod 4 and cue stick 11 are joined. Ho _^ is operated by the two trigger mechanisms 17 and 18 to release cue stick 11 in a manner which is described below with respect to Pig. 2. Trigger mechanisms 17 and 13 are mounted upon an inner tube 13 carried within outer tube 10. Inner tube 13 carries rod 14 and the cue stick release ^mechanism (shown in ^i . 2). To enable the mounting of the trigger mechanisms upon inner tube 3, outer tube 10 is provided with openings 33 and 35 of sufficient length to enable the inner tube 13 to be slid along the length of the outer tube 10 in order to set the throw of the cue tip as is described ^" below. Forward slide mechanism 15 is connected through longitudinal slot 3 in outer tube 10 via a connector means 31 to an inner sliding flange against which the spring 30 hears, such that movement of the forward, slide mechanism 5 adjusts the force applied to the cue tip 12. Forward slide mechanism 15 is locked in place by catch 23 engaging in holes 29 formed within the tube 10. Catch 23 is operated by depressing spring biased lever 27.

Rear slide mechanism 16 which adjusts the throw of the cue tip 12 is fixed relative to tube 10 by engagement of catch means 25 in holes 26 provided along the length of tube 10. Catch means 25 is operated by depressing spring loaded, lever 24 which allows movement

of the rear slide mechanism 16 along the length of tube 10 and movement of the inner tube 13 which carries the release mechanism operated by rod 14 to hold the cue stick 11 in its withdrawn, loaded position. Movement of inner tube 13 ^" by rear slide mechanism 16 ^' sets the position of the release mechanism and thereby the distance cue stick 11 must be pushed into the powered cue before engagement with the release mechanism. In this way the throw of cue tip 12 is controlled. Firing of the cue stick may be enabled by operation of either the forward trigger 17 or the rearward trigger 18. Both triggers operate to push rod 14 forward to disengage the cue stick release mechan¬ ism. Trigger 17 mounted on inner tube 13, is pivoted at 20 such that a downwardly depended projection 21 can, on depression of trigger 17 _? push stop 19 affixed to rod 14 forward. The downwardly depended projection 21 has access to stop 19 via a hole 34 in inner tube 13. Trigger 18 is mounted on rear slide mechanism 16 and thereby upon inner tube 3 via access hole 35 in outer tube 10. Trigger 18 is pivoted with a downwardly pointing projection 23 which butts against stop 22 on the end of rod 14. Thus, depression of trigger 18 causes rod 14 to be pushed forward to release the cue stick release mechanism.

Pig. 2 shows the cue stick of Pig. 1 in sectional view from the side. In Pig. 2 the cue stick 11 is provided with flanges 41 to provide a stop for the released cue stick 11. Cue stick 11 is carried on a shaft 60 about which spring 30 is located to extend between the cue stick flanged end and a sliding stop means 43 affixed to the forward slide mechanis 15 ^" by connection means 31 extending through slots 3 in outer tube 10. Movement of the sliding mechanism 5 allows expansion or contraction of the spring 30 to control the force applied to the cue tip. The end of shaft 60 carries a flanged catch receptor 42 which engages with

pawl means 44 affixed by pivot 61 to the inner tube 13. Engagement of the release mechanism comprising catch receptor 42 and pawl means 44, sets the cue stick ^" for firing. Engagement is achieved by forcing cue 5 stick 11 into the length of outer tube_10. _ By adjustment of the rear slide mechanism 16 the position of the inner tube 13 is set within the outer tube 10, and so the ^" length of throw of the cue tip 12 is controlled. Movement of the inner tube 13 backwards

10 means the cue stick must penetrate further into the outer tube to cause engagement of the release mechanism and gives the cue tip 12 a greater throw in striking

___ the cue ball-s

Pawl means -44 is provided upon lever 46

15 pivoted at 61 such that the bevelled leading edge 45 of rod 14 will lift the lever end in engagement with bevelled edge 45 -and release the catch mechanism. Eod 14 is retracted to a non-operative position by spring 47 operating between flange stops 48 and 49.

20 In Pig. 2 the downwardly depended projection

21 is shown butting against stop means 19 on rod 14, whereby rod 14 can be moved forward to operate the cue stick catch mechanism. Similarly,„ downwardly pointing projection 23 of trigger 18, butting against

25 an end face 22 of a slot 5 -in an extension piece 50 applied to the end of rod 14, can release the release mechanism by depression of the trigger 18. Thus, the powered cue can be fired from any number of locations along its length depending upon where appropriate

30 trigger mechanisms are provided.

Of course, the powered cue can be provided with other e uivalent types of trigger mechanisms and means whereby the slide mechanisms may be located along the length of the outer tube, and in particular these

35 mechanisms could be provided internally of the outer tube 10, should it be required to provide a cue stick without outward projections from the outer surface of

- - the cue stick. The mechanisms could be reduced to push button mechanisms with only the push buttons exposed in the external surfaces.

Figure 3 shows the powered cue and its accessories. The cue is built around a barrel 111 which may he provided with an extension which can be screwed onto the end 132 of the cue. The barrel 111 is also preferably provided with a bipod rest 117 which can be clipped onto the barrel 111 by rotatable clip member 118. When not in use the bipod rest 117 is rotated and fixed in position above the barrel 111 to be swung down to an operative position as in Figure 3 when required. Alternatively the rest 117 may he simply undipped from the barrel 111. Figure 4 further illustrates the arrangement -of the bipod rest 117 upon the barrel 111 and it will be realized that the length of the legs of the rest 117 and their distance apart may he varied for example to provide a so called spider type rest. In Figure 3, the pressure slide 119 controls the pressure applied to the spring that drives the cue tip 115 on its plunger 126. By moving the pressure slide _^ along the barrel towards the cue tip end, the player compresses an internal spring to a pressure dependent upon the amount of travel. When the desired adjustment is achieved, the pressure slide is locked by an appropriate mechanism.

The trigger and throw slide 120 in Figure 3 controls the length of throw of the cue tip 115 ^" by movement along the barrel to selected positions where it is locked to set the throw of the plunger 126. Slide 120 can also operate a suitable trigger mechanism to cause release of the plunger 126 and action of the cue tip 11 . The barrel 111 may also be provided with sights 131 to enable the player to more accurately align the powered cue.

Whilst the above has been given ~D way of

illustrative embodiment of the present invention, it should be realised that all such modifications and variations as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as is herein set forth and defined in the following claims.