Patent Grant
9737790
Billiards is a sport involving the use of a cue stick to hit a billiard ball on a generally planar surface. As used herein, billiards is a generic term used to refer to different types of cue sports including pool, snooker, English billiards, Caram billiards, or any other cue sport that involves hitting a billiard ball with a cue stick. Within each of these different types of billiard sports, there are various different games which specify rules for how the games are played. For example, in the billiard sport of pool, pool games include Eight Ball, Nine Ball, and Three-Ball.
Also, as used herein, a billiard ball refers to a spherical ball having a diameter in the range of 2.0 inches (50.8 mm) and 2.5 inches (63.5 mm) that is typically made of a crack/chip resistant plastic (such as a phenolic resin or a polyester). Governing bodies for different types of billiard sports may specify more specific dimensions in this range for regulation compliant billiard balls. For example, the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) specifies that a billiard ball for the game of pool has a diameter of 2.25 in. (57.15 mm), plus or minus 0.005 in. (0.127 mm). Also, in snooker, billiard balls may be 2 and 1/16 inches (52.5 mm) in diameter.
Billiard sports are played on a billiard table which has a rectangular horizontal planar surface called a bed that is bounded on four sides by cushions mounted along rails. The bed is often comprised of a cloth covered slate and the cushions are often comprised of a cloth covered rubber. The dimensions of a billiard table vary widely. For example, common pool tables have lengths that are 9-foot (2.7 m), 8 ft (2.4 m), or 7 ft (2.1 m) with a length to width radio of 2:1. The bed playing surface between the cushions and rails of a 9 foot (2.7 m) table, for example, may be 100 inches (254 cm) by 50 inches (127 cm). Also, for example, a snooker table may have dimensions of 11 feet 8.5 inches (356.9 cm) by 5 feet 10 inches (177.8 cm). It should also be appreciated that billiard tables for pool and snooker may include pockets for receiving billiard balls, whereas billiard tables for Carom billiards tables do not have pockets.
Billiard sports may benefit from improvements.
The following is a brief summary of subject matter that is described in greater detail herein. This summary is not intended to be limiting as to the scope of the claims.
In one example embodiment of one or more inventions described herein, a billiard rack is provided that facilitates racking a set of billiard balls on a billiard table. The billiard rack may be comprised of a frame that extends around an interior space. The interior space may have a size and shape that is configured to receive therein upper portions of a set of billiard balls resting on the horizontal planar surface of a bed of a billiard table.
The frame includes a top side and an opposed bottom side. The bottom side includes a lower opening into the interior space in which the upper portions of the billiard balls are able to extend therein. The top side may include an upper opening into the interior space that is larger than a billiard ball and is smaller in area than the lower opening. The frame also includes an inner wall having at least one cam surface that extends at least partially around the interior space and that tapers inwardly in directions from the lower opening to the upper opening.
In this described embodiment, when the frame is placed on the set of billiard balls resting on the planar surface of the bed of the billiard table, the at least one cam surface is configured to: contact all of the peripheral billiard balls of the set of billiard balls; and urge the set of billiard balls together, such that each billiard ball is in contact with at least two other neighboring billiard balls and no portion of the frame comes closer than one third of the diameter of one of the billiard balls to the horizontal planar surface of the bed of the billiard table upon which the billiard balls are resting. It should be noted that when the rack is placed on the set of billiard balls, the motion of the rack is generally linear (i.e., vertically downwardly), thus the at least one cam surface corresponds to a linear cam and the followers correspond to the billiard balls.
In different example embodiments, the interior area of the frame, the upper opening, the lower opening, and/or the frame itself, may have various shapes, including generally triangular shapes, generally rhombus shapes, and generally circular shapes in order to accommodate different numbers of billiard balls in different geometric patterns.
For example, the frame and the lower opening may have a generally triangular shape and the interior space of the frame may have a shape that receives a set of fifteen billiard balls simultaneously extending into the lower opening. In this example, the at least one cam surface is configured to contact all of the twelve peripheral billiard balls of the set of fifteen billiard balls and urge the set of fifteen billiard balls together in a generally triangular shape, such that each billiard ball is in contact with at least two neighboring billiard balls.
In some examples of a billiard rack, the interior space of the frame may have a shape that is operative to receive and rack sets of billiards balls with different numbers of billiard balls for each set, such that each set extends into the lower opening with the at least one cam surface configured to contact all of the peripheral billiard balls of each set of billiard balls and urge each set of billiard balls together, such that each billiard ball is in contact with at least two neighboring billiard balls. For example, a frame that can tightly rack fifteen billiard balls in a generally triangular shape may also be able to tightly rack a lesser number billiard balls (such as fourteen, thirteen, twelve, eleven, ten or nine billiard balls).
It should also be appreciated that the generally triangularly shaped frame may be additionally used to rack an even lesser number of balls (such as three or six billiard balls) via using fingers or an edge of the rail of a billiard table to tightly urge the smaller numbers of billiard balls tightly towards portions of the at least one cam surface.
In another example, the frame and the lower opening may have a generally non-square rhombus shape and the interior space of the frame may have a shape that receives a set of nine billiard balls extending into the lower opening. In this example, the at least one cam surface contacts all eight of the peripheral billiard balls of the set of nine billiard balls and urges the set of nine billiard balls together in a generally non-square rhombus shape, such that each billiard ball is in contact with at least two neighboring billiard balls.
Also, the rack with the generally non-square rhombus shape may be used to rack a different number of billiard balls. In this example, the interior space of the frame may also have a shape that receives a set of six billiard balls extending into the lower opening. The at least one cam surface contacts all six of the billiard balls and urges the set of six billiard balls together, such that each billiard ball is in contact with at least two neighboring billiard balls. In addition, the same rack with the generally non-square rhombus shape that may be operative to tightly rack nine or six billiard balls may also be operative to tightly rack eight, seven, five, or four billiard balls.
It should also be appreciated that the generally non-square rhombus shaped frame may be additionally used to rack an even lesser number of balls (such as three billiard balls) via using fingers or an edge of the rail of a billiard table to tightly urge the smaller numbers of billiard balls tightly towards portions of the at least one cam surface. In addition, it should also be appreciated that such a generally non-square rhombus shaped frame may have a larger size to accommodate a larger numbers of billiards balls (e.g., such as sixteen billiard balls, or another number of billiard balls).
In example embodiments, the top and bottom surfaces of the frame may have generally flat surfaces or other types of surface geometries including rounded surfaces. For example, in an embodiment, the top side of the frame may include a substantially planar top surface that extends around the upper opening. Also, in the same frame, the bottom side of the frame may include a substantially planar bottom surface that extends around the lower opening and that is parallel to the planar top surface. The at least one cam surface may extend from the bottom side towards to top side at acute angles between 30 and 60 degrees (such as about 45 degrees) with respect to a plane that includes the substantially planar bottom surface.
The frame may also include different side surfaces including tapered surfaces and beveled surfaces. For example, an embodiment of the frame may include a circumferential outer side surface that extends between the top side and bottom side of the frame. The outer side surface may include a beveled portion that forms a channel having a depth that is operative to receive tips of human fingers therein in order to facilitate grasping and lifting of the frame off of the set of billiard balls.
In an example embodiment, the frame of the billiard rack may include indicia such as alignment marks on the surfaces of the frame that are used to assist in placing billiard balls on the bed of the billiard table. For example, the top side of the frame may include an outer circumferential edge. The top side of the frame may also include a plurality of spaced apart alignment marks adjacent the outer circumferential edge. In an example embodiment, the spaced apart alignment marks may correspond to notches that extend into the outer circumferential edge of the top side of the frame.
In addition, in a further example embodiment, the top side of the frame may include at least one substantially straight inner edge along the top opening that further assists in aligning billiard balls on the bed of the billiard table. In this example embodiment, when the bottom side of the frame is placed on a horizontal surface, the at least one straight inner edge may extend along a line that is substantially horizontally aligned with one or two alignment marks on the outer circumferential edge of the top side of the frame.
In a further example embodiment, the frame and the upper and lower openings may have a circular shape. In this example, the frame includes a circumferential outer side surface that extends between the top side and bottom side of the frame and that may taper inwardly in directions from the top side to the bottom side of the frame. Such a circular billiard rack may have a cam surface with a sufficient size that is capable of racking different numbers (e.g. ten, nine, and eight) of billiard balls in a ring arrangement. Such a circular billiard rack may also be flipped over and placed on a billiard table in order to function as a game piece during a game of billiards.
In addition, the circular billiard rack may be associated with a relatively smaller disc that is used to play billiard games by itself or in combination with the circular billiard rack. Such a disc may have an outer diameter that is less than an inner diameter of the upper opening of the circular billiard rack and may be placed inside the opening of the circular billiard rack for various billiard games. The disc may include a circumferential outer side surface that extends between a top side and a bottom side of the disc and that may taper inwardly in directions from the bottom side to the top side of the disc. In this example, the top side of the disc may include a central aperture having a diameter that is less than the diameter of a billiard ball. This aperture may taper inwardly in directions from the top side to the bottom side of the disc in order to receive and hold a single billiard ball thereon.
In example embodiments, the example billiard racks described herein may be used in various methods of setting up (i.e., racking) an arrangement of a set of billiard balls. For example, a method of using one or more of the previously described embodiments of a billiard rack may include: placing the frame on the set of billiard balls resting on the horizontal planar surface of the bed of the billiard table; contacting with the at least one cam surface, all of the peripheral billiard balls of the set of billiard balls; and urging with the at least one cam surface, the set of billiard balls together, such that each billiard ball is in contact with at least two other neighboring billiard balls and no portion of the frame comes closer than one third of the diameter of one of the billiard balls to the horizontal planar surface of the bed of the billiard table upon which the billiard balls are resting. The method may also include lifting the frame off of the set of billiard balls, resulting in a tightly racked set of billiard balls that is ready to be hit with a cue ball during a billiard game.
In another example method, with respect to the described frame that is used to rack nine billiard balls in a non-square rhombus arrangement, the method may comprise repeating the racking step by racking six billiard balls instead of nine billiard balls. In addition, in another example where the side surfaces of the frame are beveled, the method may include placing tips of human fingers adjacent the beveled portions to facilitate easier grasping and lifting of the frame off of a set of billiard balls.
Further, in another example where the outer circumferential edge of the frame includes alignment marks, an example method may include: aligning at least one billiard ball adjacent to the outer circumferential edge and at least one alignment mark. Also, in another example, a method may include: aligning at least one substantially straight inner edge of the top opening of the frame with a spot on a billiard table. This method may also include aligning at least one billiard ball adjacent the outer circumferential edge and at least one alignment mark and the at least one substantially straight inner edge along the top opening of the frame.
Also, in example embodiments that include the previously described disc and/or circular billiard rack, a method may include: shooting a billiard ball with a cue stick in order to drive the billiard ball up the outer tapered surface of the disc and/or a circular billiard rack. Depending on the game being played, this may be done so as to make the billiard ball land and remain on the aperture of the disc, roll around tapered portions of the disc and circular billiard rack, and/or land inside the circular billiard rack.
Other aspects will be appreciated upon reading and understanding the attached Figures and description.
Various technologies pertaining to billiards will now be described with reference to the drawings, where like reference numerals represent like elements throughout. Also, it is to be understood that functionality that is described as being carried out by certain components or surface configurations may be performed by multiple components or surface configurations. Similarly, for instance, a component or surface configuration may be configured to perform functionality that is described as being carried out by multiple components or surface configurations.
With reference to
The frame 104 also includes an inner wall 306 that bounds the interior space 106 and that has at least one cam surface 308. The cam surface 308 extends at least partially around the interior space. The cam surface is also configured so as to taper inwardly (toward the center 310 of the frame) at acute angles in directions from the lower opening 304 to the upper opening 302.
In this described embodiment, when the frame is placed on the set of billiard balls 204 resting on the planar surface 206 of the bed of the billiard table, the at least one cam surface is configured to: contact all of the peripheral billiard balls (such as billiard balls 312, 314) of the set of billiard balls 204; and urge the set of billiard balls together (with the billiard balls remaining in contact with the bed of the billiard table). The billiard balls are urged together such that each billiard ball is in contact with at least two other neighboring billiard balls and no portion of the frame comes closer than one third of the diameter of one of the billiard balls to the horizontal planar surface of the bed of the billiard table upon which the billiard balls are resting. For example, the billiard rack may rest above the bed of the billiard table by more than 0.66 inches (1.68 cm).
It should be appreciated that in the view shown in
In example embodiments, these described distances above the bed of the table are operative to facilitate tightly racking the set of billiard balls quickly without the bed of the billiard table interfering with the ability of the billiard rack to tightly rack the set of billiard balls together. Further, the amount of space remaining under the billiard rack after the balls have been tightly racked is sufficient to place a person's fingers under the bottom side of the billiard rack for purposes of repositioning the billiard rack and/or lifting the billiard rack without knocking into and disrupting the tightly packed arrangement of billiard balls. Further, the amount of space remaining under the billiard rack after the balls have been tightly racked provides sufficient visibility under the rack so that a person can see where a corner billiard ball contacts the bed of the billiard table in order to align the corner billiard ball with a spot on the billiard table (e.g., one of the head, foot, or center spots of a billiard table).
In addition, in some embodiments the body of the billiard tack may have a sufficient weight to tightly rack a set of billiard balls together without the need for a person to push downwardly on the rack. Rather, gravity acting on the billiard rack may be sufficient for some embodiments to urge the frame downwardly with sufficient force to tightly rack a set of billiard balls. In an example embodiment such as shown in
Also, as shown in
It should be understood that as used herein, the term “generally” or “substantially” as modifiers for a particularly named geometric shape corresponds to the particularly named shape and corresponding shapes that overall have a visual appearance that is closer to the named shape (e.g., a triangle shape) than a geometric shape with a different number of sides (e.g., a square shape or a pentagon shape).
As shown in
As discussed previously, the cam surface 308 is configured to contact all of the peripheral balls when the billiard rack 102 is placed on the set of fifteen billiard balls 204. By acting on all of the peripheral balls, the tapered configuration of the cam surface 308 urges the complete set of billiard balls together such that each billiard ball is in contact with at least two neighboring billiard balls. Further as shown in
As used herein the term peripheral billiard balls refers to those billiard balls at the peripheral of the set of billiard balls being racked by the billiard rack. Also as used herein, the term interior billiard balls refers to those billiard balls in the interior of the set of billiard balls that are surrounded by the peripheral billiard balls. Also, as will be shown in more detail below, in some arrangements of billiard balls in the billiard racks described herein, there may be no interior billiard balls. Rather the set of billiard balls may be tightly racked with just peripheral billiard balls in contact with each other and the cam surface of the billiard rack.
With a perfect set of billiard balls (i.e., where all of the billiard balls have the same diameter and are perfectly spherical), the example rack would simultaneously place each billiard ball in contact with all of its neighboring billiard balls in the set of billiard balls. However, it should be noted that some billiard balls in a set may not be identical in terms of size and shape. A small variation in the diameters or curvature of one or more of the billiard balls may result in a small gap between some neighboring balls. For example, if the interior ball 430 were to have a slightly smaller diameter than the other balls in the set, interior ball 430 may be in contact with 5 neighboring billiard balls rather than all six neighboring balls 428, 424, 312, 314, 432, 438.
In addition, it should be appreciated that one or more balls may have a diameter that significantly varies from the others. With reference to
In addition, because the example embodiment of the billiard rack is operative to tightly compact uniformly sized balls together, even non-visible gaps adjacent improperly sized balls may be detectable by placing a hand through the upper opening 302 and attempting to rotate the billiard balls. In general, billiard balls that are operative to freely rotate in the billiard rack (i.e., are operative to rotate with less force) compared to other billiard balls, may have an improper size as well (and thus can be detected and replaced in the set of billiard balls through the upper opening 302). Thus, example embodiments of the described billiard rack may serve as a gauge to uncover improperly sized balls in a set of billiard balls. Also, it should be appreciated that the upper opening 302 also enables a user to lift up and reposition billiard balls in the set of billiard balls to place numbered and/or colored or differently marked balls in a different order (depending on the rules of the particular billiard game being played.)
In order to further illustrate the example configuration of the billiard rack 102,
Also as shown in
For example, as illustrated in
Also, in cases where one or more balls are still outside the perimeter of the cam surface, the relatively wide bottom side 208 (see
As shown in
Also, as shown in
As shown in
In example embodiments, the frame is made out of a single piece of a plastic material such as ABS, PVC, polyester, polypropylene, or any other type of plastic. Also, the frame may be made out of wood, aluminum, or other materials that are sufficiently durable to enable the billiard rack to be used thousands of times to rack billiard balls. In addition, it should be appreciated that the billiard rack may be made out of a plurality of different materials. For example, the majority of the body of the frame may be made out of a hard plastic such as ABS; however, interior surfaces that form the cam surface may be made out of or may be covered by a flexible resilient material such as a rubber, felt, foam, cloth, and/or other material that is operative to compress in order to compensate for possible variations in the diameters of billiard balls in the set of billiard balls being racked.
With reference to
As shown in
When the billiard rack is placed on the cloth bed of a billiard table, it should be appreciated that the bottom side may compress portions of the cloth on the bed of the billiard table which is visibly noticeable when the billiard rack is lifted off of the table. In example embodiments, random embossed patterns and textures may be formed on the bottom side 208 to minimize the visual appearance of such compressed portions of the cloth. In addition, it should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the top side of the rack may have other contours such as a rounded surface, a tapered surface, a conical surface, or any other surface configuration that does not interfere with the arrangement of the billiard balls described herein.
As illustrated in
It should also be appreciated that the described billiard rack may have further shapes and configurations that are consistent with the functionality described herein with respect to a frame having a cam surface that is set on a set of billiard balls. For example, an alternative embodiment of the described frame may not include an upper opening in the top side of the frame or alternatively, the upper opening may not have a shape that matches the outer shape of the frame or the lower opening. For example, the upper opening may have a generally circular shape.
In addition, it should be appreciated that the shape of the billiard rack may be adapted to accommodate different numbers of balls and different arrangements of balls for a set of billiard balls. For example,
As shown in
In addition, it should be appreciated that the same billiard rack may be adapted to accommodate racking different numbers of balls and different arrangements of balls. For example,
In addition, it should be appreciated that the configuration of the described billiard rack frames may be operative to tightly rack many different arrangements of billiard balls, including arrangements in which one or more peripheral or interior billiard balls are removed from the set of billiard balls being racked. For example,
However, it should be noted that when the cushion rail 804 is used, the angled orientation of the rack/cam surface may result in billiard balls adjacent to the rack being spaced apart. An example of this spaced apart arrangement produced by the billiard rack is illustrated in
In a similar manner,
In the examples of the billiard racks described above, the billiard frames include a cam surface adjacent to a bottom side of the frames. However, it should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments the upper side of the rack may include an addition cam surface that is configured to tightly rack a lesser number of billiard balls than the cam surface adjacent the bottom side of the frame.
As shown in
Referring to
It should also be appreciated that for a particular game of billiards, additional billiard balls may be placed inside the tightly racked ring of ten billiard balls. For example, additional billiard balls may be placed in the ring of ten billiard balls either before or after the circular billiard rack 1502 is removed from being in contact with the ring of ten billiard balls.
In addition, it should be noted that the cross-sectional width 1802 of the cam surface 1708 may be sufficient to rack a different number of billiard balls in a ring shape arrangement. For example,
Referring back to
Further, it should be noted that the cross-sectional width 1802 of the cam surface 1708 may be sufficient to rack an even smaller number of billiard balls in a ring shape arrangement without resting on the billiard balls. For example,
In an example embodiment, the circular billiard rack 1502 may also serve as a game piece when flipped over as illustrated in the cross-sectional view 2300 of
Referring now to
As shown in
In addition, as shown in
Also, as illustrated in a top view 2700 in
With this arraignment the outer tapered surface 2410 of the disc is positioned adjacently inwardly of the cam surface 1708. As a result, these two tapered surfaces form a circular channel 2702 that is operative to receive a billiard ball 2704 thereon in contact with both tapered surfaces 1708, 2410. In this example, a billiard game may be played in which a ball is shot so as to roll up the outer tapered surface 1710 of the billiard rack and land on the circular channel 2702 in a direction and with sufficient momentum so as to begin to roll one or more times around the channel (e.g., the ball rolls in a circle one or more times). In example games, the time for the ball to travel around the channel and come to a stop may serve as a timer in which a player may be required to shoot one or more other billiard balls on the billiard table during a particular game of billiards.
It should also be noted that in some billiard games, a billiard ball may be shot up the tapered surfaces of either the described circular billiard rack or disc with sufficient momentum so as to fly through the air and land on another portion of the billiard table. In addition, it should be noted that in some billiard games, a billiard ball may be shot up the tapered surfaces of either the described circular billiard rack or disc with sufficient momentum so as to bank off of the tapered surface and roll in a different direction along the bed of the billiard table.
Also, in this example as shown in
Referring back to
Such alignment marks may also be formed via coatings such as paint or a label affixed to the frame 104. Also, such alignment marks may be formed by having the top surface include raised or recessed portions (e.g., such as a raised bump or a recessed notch generated via a molding or machining process). In this regard,
Such alignment marks may be positioned in locations on the top side of the frame of a rack to assist in positioning balls outside the billiard rack for particular billiard games.
In order to align two billiard balls 2810, 2822 with the center of spot 2808, an example embodiment of the billiard rack 102 may include alignment marks 2830, 2840 that are located so as to be aligned with the inner edge 2806. With this arrangement, the inner edge 2806 extends along a line that is substantially horizontally aligned with both of the alignment marks 2830, 2840 on the outer circumferential edge of the top side of the frame.
In addition, in an example embodiment, the billiard rack may include additional alignment marks for use with aligning additional billiard balls. For example, on the same side of the billiard rack, an example billiard rack may include the alignment marks 2830 and two additional alignment marks 2832, 2834 which are used to align billiard balls 2810, 2812 and 2814 against the outer side wall of the frame of the billiard rack. Similarly, on the opposed side of the billiard rack, an example billiard rack may include the alignment marks 2840 and two additional alignment marks 2838, 2836 which are used to align billiard balls 2822, 2820 and 2818 against the opposed side wall of the frame of the billiard rack.
In addition, in one example, the alignment marks may be evenly spaced apart. However, in another example as illustrated in
In example embodiments, once the billiard balls have been aligned on a billiard table in the manner described above, the billiard rack may be removed from the table. Also, although the generally triangularly shaped billiard rack 102 has been described as including alignment marks, it should be appreciated that other embodiments of billiard racks described herein, such as the generally non-square rhombus shaped billiard rack 902 shown in
It is noted that several examples have been provided for purposes of explanation. These examples are not to be construed as limiting the hereto-appended claims. Additionally, it may be recognized that the examples provided herein may be permutated while still falling under the scope of the claims.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20160101345 A1 | Apr 2016 | US |
