Abstract:
A racking device, for racking a plurality of pool balls upon a pool table have a felt top surface, comprising a rack for containing the balls, a pressure base located above the rack, and a sweeper frame capable of relative vertical movement with respect to the rack. A plurality of sweeper pins extend vertically downward from the sweeper frame, which each selectively engage one of the pool balls. A lever causes the sweeper pins to move downward toward the balls to engage the balls and urge them toward each other. A pressure pin is associated with each of the balls, which firmly press upon the apexes of the balls to press them downward into the felt top surface so that the balls hold their positions in a tight, racked formation even after the racking device has been lifted upward and away from the balls.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a system for racking pool balls on a pool table. More particularly, the invention relates to a racking system that allows players to tightly arrange pool balls in a compact formation on the pool table. 
     Pool games are extremely popular with people of all ages. Most games require that pool balls (often fifteen for playing &#34;eight ball&#34;, but sometimes nine for the game of &#34;nine ball&#34;) be arranged into a triangular or a diamond shaped pattern. The balls are arranged in a manner such that the apex of the formed diamond is located near a pre-marked spot on the pool table, which serves as a marker for placing the racked balls. 
     The pool balls must be arranged in a tight and compact formation to ensure that when it is first &#34;broken&#34;, the balls do not deviate from their predictable lines of travel merely because of a poor racking of the pool balls. Unfortunately, there is no existing system that provides pool players with an easy mechanism for obtaining a tight formation of the desired shape on the pool table. 
     To rack the balls, most people use a triangular pool rack that holds the balls in its interior portion. The rack is removed once the balls are organized in a formation that roughly resembles the desired shape. Unfortunately, the size of the pool balls often lacks uniformity, which makes it difficult to properly rack the balls into a tight formation. As a result, the first player to break the rack of balls is at a disadvantage in that the improperly racked balls do not respond as would be anticipated from a properly racked set of pool balls. 
     Other devices have been proposed for the purpose of automatically racking pool balls or assisting therewith. Unfortunately, all of these devices operate by engaging the balls &#34;en masse&#34; in an attempt to press them together. 
     While these various devices attempt to provide simplified means for properly racking pool balls, none of these guarantee a tight and even formation. Additionally, these devices have a complicated structure and are expensive in construction, yet still fail to provide the desired results. Therefore, while these prior art units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereinafter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a racking device for racking pool balls in a tight and compact manner on top of the pool table. Accordingly, each of the balls is individually engaged to urge the balls toward each other, and into a stable position on the pool table felt. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple mechanism for racking pool balls in a tight and even formation by providing a racking device that conforms to the shape and size of each individual pool ball. Accordingly, a racking device is disclosed that utilizes a plurality of sweeper pins to move the pool balls together into a tight formation, such that adjoining balls touch each other. The balls are then firmly pressed into the felt of the pool table by a plurality of pressure pins. Once the desired formation has been achieved, the racking device is removed without disturbing the racked pool balls. 
     To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims and their legal equivalents. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description thereof, which is presented in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the drawing figures. 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the racking device, viewed from the front. 
     FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the racking device, viewed from the rear. 
     FIG. 3 provides a bottom plan view of the racking device. 
     FIG. 4 provides a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of arrows 4--4 in FIG. 3. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1-4 show a racking device 10 that tightly arranges a plurality of pool balls on top of a pool table having a felt top surface. 
     According to the invention, the racking device 10 comprises a pool rack 100 that has an interior 106, as shown in FIG. 2. The pool rack 100 has three side walls 108, wherein adjoining side walls 108 join together to form a corner 107. The interior 106 of the pool rack 100 houses a plurality of pool balls 7 therein for arranging the balls 7 in the desired formation. According to the invention, the racking device 10 engages each individual pool ball 7 to obtain a tight and compact formation. While the present invention racks the balls 7 in a diamond shaped formation (comprising nine balls), the scope of the present invention is not limited by this aspect. Accordingly, it is possible to rack the balls in a triangular shaped formation (comprising fifteen balls) through minor adaptation of the present invention. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the racking device 10 comprises a pressure base 13 with a bottom surface 14. A plurality of pressure pins 15 are mounted to the bottom surface 14, extending vertically downward therefrom. The pressure pins 15 are spring mounted to ensure that they selectively move upward in the direction of arrow A when pressed on top of the pool balls 7, but still exert pressure upon the pool balls 7. The pressure pins 15 are positioned so that they each engage one of the pool balls 7 at the very top point thereof. 
     The racking device 10 has a pair of handles 41 that are mounted to and above the pressure base 13, as shown in FIG. 2. The handles 41 are substantially parallel to the pressure base 13, such that when the handles are pushed downward, the pressure base 13 moves downward and causes the pressure pins 15 to press on top of the pool balls 7. 
     The racking device 10 is provided with a sweeper arm frame 31 that lies parallel to the pressure base 13. A plurality of sweeper frame guide pins 43 are mounted to the pressure base 13 and extend through the sweeper arm frame 31. The sweeper frame guide pins 43 are mounted at approximately ninety degrees from the pressure base 13 to allow the sweeper arm frame 31 to move toward and away from the pressure base 13, and to ensure that the sweeper arm frame 31 moves in a plane that is substantially parallel to the pressure base 13. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the sweeper arm frame 31 has a plurality of sweeper pins 17 extending vertically downward therefrom. The sweeper pins 17 are spring mounted to ensure that the sweeper pins 17 can move upward when they contact the sides of the pool balls 7. Each of the sweeper pins 17 has a conical tip 18, as shown in FIG. 2. 
     Each handle 41 has a bottom surface 52. A sweeper lever 55 is pivotably mounted from the bottom surface 52 of one of the pair of handles 41. As shown in FIG. 1, the sweeper lever 55 is provided with an axle 33 that extends across the sweeper arm frame 31. 
     A pair of sweeper activators 50 are mounted on top of the sweeper arm frame 31. The sweeper activator 50 has a front portion 151 and a back portion 152, wherein the axle 33 extends through the back portion 152 such that rotation by the axle 33 causes the back portion 152 to rotate in like direction. The front portion 151 is securely affixed to the sweeper arm frame 31, while the back portion 152 normally lies in a plane that is substantially parallel to the sweeper arm frame 31. 
     An axle mount 51 is provided on top of the pressure base 13 near the other handle 41, which secures the axle 33 on the side opposite from the sweeper lever 55 pivotably mounted from the first handle 41. Since the axle 33 is attached to the sweeper arm frame 31, mounting the axle 33 to the axle mount 51 ensures that the sweeper arm frame 31 securely remains parallel to the pressure base 13. 
     According to the invention, when the sweeper lever 55 is squeezed, the axle 33 rotates clockwise and raises the back portion 152, which causes the front portion to pivot downward and move the sweeper arm frame 31 vertically downward. When the sweeper arm frame 31 moves downward, the sweeper pins 17 also move downward and each engages one of the pool balls off-center, pushing the sides of the pool balls 7, causing the pool balls 7 to move inward against each other. 
     The sweeper lever 55 is spring mounted, such that when the sweeper lever 55 is released, it moves downward and away from the bottom surface 52 of the handle 41, which causes the sweeper arm frame 31 to be raised upward and the sweeper pins 17 to release from contact with the pool balls 7. 
     A plurality of springs are securely mounted between the sweeper arm frame 31 and the pressure base 13. Thus, when the sweeper lever is released, the plurality of springs push the sweeper arm frame 31 upward and away from the pressure base 13. 
     The racking device 10 has a plurality of guide assemblies 60 that secure the pressure base 13 to the side walls 108 of the pool rack 100, as shown in FIG. 2. It is preferable that the racking device 10 be provided with three guide assemblies 60 that are positioned at the corners 107 of the pool rack 100. According to the invention, the guide assemblies 60 ensure that the pressure base 13 moves upward and downward toward and away from the rack 100 in a plane that is substantially parallel to the pool rack 100 and the pool balls 7 placed in the interior 106 of the pool rack 100. 
     FIG. 3 provides a bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the racking device 10, which arranges the balls in a diamond shaped formation for playing &#34;nine ball.&#34; As is well known to most pool players, nine ball requires that nine pool balls 7 be arranged in a diamond shaped formation, wherein eight pool balls 7 are placed surrounding one pool ball 7 in the center thereof. Accordingly, the racking device 10 has eight sweeper pins 17 that extend downward through a circular hole provided in the pressure base 13. Each sweeper pin 17 corresponds to the location of a pool ball 7 on the periphery of the diamond shaped formation. The racking device 10 is provided with nine pressure pins 15 that correspond to the location of each pool ball 7 in the diamond shaped formation, and are each positioned to engage one of the pool balls at its apex. 
     According to the invention, to obtain the desired pool ball formation, an appropriate number of pool balls 7 are placed in the interior 106 of the pool rack 100 on top of a pool table. The pool balls 7 are arranged in a configuration that roughly resembles the shape desired. 
     Next, the handles 41 are pushed towards the pool balls 7 on the pool table and the sweeper lever 55 is squeezed against the handle 41. As the sweeper lever 55 moves upward, the sweeper arm frame 31 moves downward toward the pressure base 13, and the sweeper pins 17 each engage one of the pool balls off center and press against the side of the pool ball 7, which together pushes the pool balls 7 toward the center such that there is no gap between the pool balls 7. As the balls move together, a tighter pool ball formation is obtained. Since the sweeper pins 17 are spring mounted to the sweeper arm frame 31, the push force exerted by the sweeper pins 17 corresponds to the exact amount needed for moving the balls 7 into the tighter pool ball formation. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the pressure base 13 has a plurality of viewing holes 161, which allows a use to view the pool balls 7 from the top as they are tightly arranged in the desired formation. 
     Once the balls 7 are tightly racked, the handles 41 are pushed downward for a few more seconds to press the pressure pins 15 on top of the pool balls 7 of the tightly arranged pool ball formation and push the balls 7 into the felt of the pool table. As the balls 7 are pressed into the felt, the sweeper lever 55 is released to allow the sweeper pins 17 to move upward and release contact with the pool balls 7. 
     Once the user concludes that the pool balls 7 have been appropriately racked and firmly pressed into the felt of the table by looking through the viewing holes 161, pressure on the handles 41 is released and the racking device 10 is removed upward from the pool table. The previous firm pressing of the pool balls 7 into the felt of the pool table ensures that the balls 7 do not move away from each other as the racking device 10 is removed therefrom. As shown in FIG. 2, the racked pool balls 7 do not actually touch the side walls 108 of the pool rack 100, which helps ensure that the removal of the racking device 10 does not disturb the pool ball formation. 
     Many specific details contained in the above description merely illustrate some preferred embodiments and should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of the invention. Accordingly, many other variations are possible within the spirit of the present invention, limited only by the scope of the appended claims.