Abstract:
The present invention  10  discloses a billiards ball racking system comprised of two symmetrical circular loops  12, 14  bonded together. Each circular loop  12, 14  may hold up to seven billiard balls  16 , six balls around the inner perimeter of each loop, and one ball  26  in the center. The present invention  10  may be composed of a plastic, metal or any rigid or semi-rigid substance or a flexible strap  32  for the proper functioning of the invention.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to billiard ball racking systems, more specifically, to a billiards rack comprised of two symmetrical circular loops bonded. Each circular loop may hold up to seven billiard balls, six balls around the inner perimeter of each loop, and one ball in the center. The invention may be composed of a plastic, metal or any rigid or semi ridged substance suitable for the proper functioning of the invention. 
   The new billiards rack provides four new pool games hereinafter described using the rack of the present invention. Traditionally and historically only two racks have been employed, a triangle and a diamond shape. The triangle rack has allowed “straight” pool, the diamond the game of 9 ball. 
   The rack of the present invention distributes the balls around the pool table in different configurations. 
   In Seven Ball, the balls are racked on one side of the present invention, (1,2 . . . 7) with the seven ball in the center when racked. Having only seven balls in the game, the game will proceed faster than games played using the triangle or diamond shaped racks. The cue ball must hit the lowest numbered ball on the table in turn until finally sinking the seven ball which ends the game. 
   In Conception Eight or Atom Smasher, the balls are racked on one side of the present invention, (2,3 . . . 8) with the eight ball in the center when racked with the one ball positioned outside. This gives the shape of a circle with one ball forward. The one ball can be placed in any outside location. The cue ball must hit the lowest numbered ball on the table in turn until finally sinking the eight ball which ends the game. 
   In Ball Buster, all balls are racked using both sides of the present invention with the fifteenth ball placed at the center of the two racks of seven balls. The balls may be separated 7 solid, 7 striped or mixed. Play would proceed as in traditional 8 ball. 
   In Fourteen Ball, both races contain 7 balls. Each ring would be placed parallel with the foot string. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   There are other pool ball racks. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 228,879 issued to Stephen De Gaetano on Jun. 15, 1880. 
   Another patent was issued to Thomas H. Callahan on May 28, 1907 as U.S. Pat. No. 854,799. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,944 was issued to James H. Myers on Nov. 9, 1971 and still yet another was issued on Jul. 23, 1974 to E. Michael Frierman as U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,258. 
   Another patent was issued to Kenneth R. Tomczak on Feb. 1, 1977 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,861. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,881 was issued to John W. Jaworski on Dec. 29, 1981 and still yet another was issued to William D. Clayton on Jun. 7, 1984 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,450 
   Another patent was issued to Azeez A. Quraishi on Oct. 28, 1986 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,455. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,781 was issued on Sep. 6, 1988 to Roy E. McMillin and still yet another was issued on Dec. 27, 1994. 
   Another patent was issued Kwasny et al as U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,054. Yet another was issued to Potocki as U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,273 on Sep. 1, 1998 and still yet another was issued Tsai as U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,187 on Jul. 17, 2001. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 228,879 
   Inventor: Stephen de Gaetano 
   Issued: Jun. 15, 1880 
   A ball-frame or triangle composed of wood or other suitable material and formed with three interior and exterior curved or rounded corners, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 854,799 
   Inventor: Thomas H. Callahan 
   Issued: May. 28, 1907 
   A frame for pool balls, having the shape of a rhomboid. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,944 
   Inventor: James H. Myers 
   Issued: Nov. 9, 1971 
   A ball rack for use with pool or pocket billiard tables for locating the object balls in predetermined spread relation to one another on different areas of a pool table to facilitate locating the object balls for playing a new unique pool game. The rack has an elevated top wall provided with opening through which the balls are displaced downwardly onto the playing surface of the pool table and including resilient ring secured to the openings for engaging and accurately locating the balls on the pool table before removal of the rack therefrom. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,258 
   Inventor: E. Michael Frierman 
   Issued: Jul. 23, 1974 
   A floor-type billiard game is described wherein a rectangular playing surface has a length dimension range of from 8 to 12 feet, a width dimension range from 6 to 8 feet and a length to width ratio of less than 2. playing balls for the game are approximately the same size and composition as billiard balls. There are two oppositely-disposed, off-center side pockets which are closer to a spotting end of the playing surface than to a scratch-line end, and two side-by-side center end pockets at a scratch-line end of the of the playing surface. This pocket arrangement provides for a pocket density which compensates for the relatively large size playing surface. A spotting rack, which is used to rack balls at the end of the playing surface has a plurality of parallel compartments for racking the balls in separate parallel rows. The rack incorporates a device for transporting balls within the rack. A removable boundary is provided for dividing the normal playing surface into a smaller playing area. Rounded ball deflectors are positioned in boundary pockets breaks for deflecting balls driven into the breaks downwardly into pocket openings. A protective covering protects a seam between cushions and boundary frames. A game-mallet head is made of steel. At one end thereof, there is a flat striking surface at the other end thereof, there is a smaller ‘tip’ striking surface. The tip end has a resilient covering thereon. The flat end also has a covering to protect a cue ball from damage. The tip end also has a centered aiming edge which is used by players to align the striking tip with balls. A removable spin peg is mountable on the mallet head for use to impart additional spin to a truck cue ball. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,0050, 861 
   Inventor: Kenneth R. Tomczak 
   Issued: Feb. 1, 1977 
   Improved pocket-billiard trick shot racking device, whereby to facilitate making pocket-billiard trick shots, the racking device being a four-sided racking device having four walls and a trapezoidal shape in plan view so that it can rack six billiard balls at a time so that four thereof are disposed in the corners of said racking device each touching two walls of said device and the other two thereof are inside of the corner balls, the two innermost balls touching two of the corner balls and being spaced apart from each other so that the space between them is less than the diameter of the cue ball, the walls having inside dimensions of length precisely machined to one thousandth of an inch the walls having inside dimensions of length for any given diameter of billiard balls as follows: the front; rear; and side walls, respectively, being 3.717 diameters; 3.171 diameters; and 2.846 diameters. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,881 
   Inventor: John W. Jaworski 
   Issued: Dec. 29, 1981 
   A six ball pool rack is constructed having a frame defining two separate compartments. Each compartment is generally kidney-shaped and holds three pool balls in tangential relationship on a pool table. The compartments are joined by a center portion of the frame which separates the two groups of three balls and has indicator indicia imprinted thereon. The three balls are arranged in each compartment such that one of the balls is in contact with the center portions of the frame which separates the compartments. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,450 
   Inventor: William D. Clayton 
   Issued: Jun. 5, 1984 
   An improved pocket billiard rack configured to facilitate the circular arrangement of seven billiard balls on a billiard table. The rack includes a framing member having circular opening therethrough disposed between a top end and a bottom end. The framing member is dimensioned for receiving seven billiard balls in abutting relation positioned in a circular arrangement. The rack facilitates play in a novel “Seven Ball” billiard game, which permits players to perform combination and carom shots, defensive shots and placement in a fast-paced game. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,455 
   Inventor: Azeez A. Quraishi 
   Issued: Oct. 28, 1986 
   A game, using croquet-type balls corralled in an area of rebounder-type side rails, that can be assembled on any conventional rug or floor in which a taw ball is struck with a mallet to knock one&#39;s designated team balls, plus a “queen” ball, out of corral archway openings to gain points. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,781 
   Inventor: Roy E. McMillin 
   Issued: Sep. 6, 1988 
   A game device including a bordered playing field having a number of pockets formed in the field to receive target balls. The device includes a star-shaped rack having five spaced compartments, each of which receives and aligns a group of three target balls in a broken ring around a centrally positioned target ball. The shooter ball is positioned outside the ring and the game player uses a cue stick to strike and propel the shooter ball toward an appropriate target ball. The height of the playing field is adjustable and the playing field rotates to provide convenient access to elderly or handicapped players. The device is also conveniently disassembled for storage or shipping. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,054 
   Inventor: Charles D. Kwasny, et al 
   Issued: Dec. 27, 1994 
   A billiard ball rack for shaping a group of billiard balls on a pool table having leg members which when in a storage position enables the rack to be used as a standard triangular fifteen ball rack yet when moved to an alternate position such leg members in combination with other rack portions enables the rack to be alternately used as a diamond shape nine ball rack. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5.8000.273 
   Inventor: John Potocki 
   Issued: Sep. 1, 1998 
   A kit for playing a pocket billiards game and method for playing a pocket billiards game utilizing seven object balls and a cue ball, the seven object balls comprised of three object balls having a first indicia, three object balls having a second indicia, and a single object ball having a third indicia, the overall object of the billiard game being for a player to pocket a billiard ball having a first or second indicia on one side of the table and thereafter pocket the remaining object balls having the same indicia on the same side of the table followed by the pocketing of the object ball having the third indicia on the same side of the table, the play alternating between a second player or a second team of players, the winning player or team being the one which first pockets the object ball having the third indicia on the players or teams designated side of the table. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,187 
   Inventor: Chin-Ho Tsai 
   Issued: Jul. 17, 2001 
   A rack includes three sides each having a protrusion on the first end thereof and a recess defined in the second end thereof so that the three sides are connected to be a triangle rack by engaging the three protrusions with the three recesses. Each side has two grooves defined in the inside thereof and two ridges extending from the outside thereof. Three separators each have two protrusions for being engaged with the corresponding grooves of the three sides to from a small triangle or a rhombus. Each separator has two concavities defined in the inside thereof so as to receive the ridges when attached to the outside of the sides. 
   While these billiard ball racking systems may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described. 
   SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
   The present invention discloses a billiards ball racking system comprised of two symmetrical circular loops bonded together. Each circular loop may hold up to seven billiard balls, six balls around the inner perimeter of each loop, and one ball in the center. The present invention may be composed of a plastic, metal or any rigid or semi-rigid substance or a flexible strap for the proper functioning of the invention. 
   A primary object of the present invention is to provide and introduce four new pool games made possible by the invention. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a pool table rack that distributes the balls around the pool table in different configurations. 
   Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel way in which a game of pool can be played. 
   Still another object of the present invention is to provide a fantastic new way to play a game of pool using a different amount of pool balls. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a billiard game that is more competitive. 
   The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a billiard rack in which a number of different pool games can be played by the symmetrical circular construction of the instant invention. 
   The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the billiards rack in use. 
       FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the billiards rack. 
       FIG. 3  is a detail view of the billiards rack. 
       FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the billiards rack. 
       FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the billiards rack. 
       FIG. 6  is a top view of the billiards rack in use. 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of the billiards rack in use. 
       FIG. 8  is a top view of the billiards rack setup for traditional Eight Ball. 
       FIG. 9  is a top view of the billiards rack. The two circular loops are symmetrical. 
       FIG. 10  is a top view of the billiards rack for Fourteen Ball. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an alternate billiards rack. 
       FIG. 12  is an isometric view of the alternate billiards rack. 
   

   LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
   With regard to reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the drawings.
           10  present invention     12  rack loop     14  rack loop     16  billiard ball     18  billiards table     20  conjunction     22  outer surface     24  bonding agent     26  ball     28  foot string     30  head string     32  flexible strap assembly     34  plate     36  center line     38  foot spot       

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention and several variations of that embodiment. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments since practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. For a definition of the complete scope of the invention, the reader is directed to the appended claims. 
   Turning to  FIG. 1 , shown therein is a perspective view of the present invention  10  in use on a billiards table  18 . The present invention  10  is a billiards rack comprised of two symmetrical circular loops  12 ,  14  that are bonded together at the conjunction of the outer perimeter of the loops. Each circular loop  12 ,  14  may hold up to seven billiard balls  16 , six balls around the inner perimeter of each loop and one ball in the center. The new billiards rack  10  provides means for playing new types of billiards games. 
   Turning to  FIG. 2 , shown therein is an isometric view of the billiards rack  10 . The present invention is a billiards rack comprised of two symmetrical circular loops  12 ,  14  that are attached by a bonding agent at the conjunction  20  of the outer surface  22  or perimeters of the two loops. 
   Turning to  FIG. 3 , shown therein is a detail view of the billiards rack  10 . Shown is the bonding agent  24  which resides at the conjunction  20  of the outer surface  22  of the two symmetrical circular loops  12 ,  14 . 
   Turning to  FIG. 4 , shown therein is an isometric view of the billiards rack  10 . Shown is the billiards rack  10  with six billiard balls  16  arranged in the inner perimeter of one of the circular loops  12 ,  14  and one ball in the center. Each loop  12 ,  14  has a capacity of arranging seven billiard balls  16  in any sequence that the user desires. 
   Turning to  FIG. 5 , shown therein is an isometric view of the billiards rack  10 . Shown is the billiards rack  10  with six billiard balls  16  placed in the inner perimeter of each loop  12 ,  14  and one ball  26  in the center. One billiard ball  16  is placed flush against the outer perimeter of the loops  12 ,  14  near the conjoining area of the two loops. 
   Turning to  FIG. 6 , shown therein is a top view of the billiards rack  10  in use. Depicted is a set of billiard balls  16  in one of the two circular loops  12 ,  14  consisting of six balls around the perimeter of the loop and one ball in the center. A typical table  18  alignment of the rack positions the center ball at the middle of the foot string or spot  28  on the table. In conventional billiard rules, the player would then break the balls with the cue ball starting from behind the head string  30 . The table also has a centerline  36  and a foot spot  38  (not visible, see  FIG. 10 ). The arrangement of balls is formed by placing one of the six balls disposed around the perimeter of the first loop of the billiards rack on the foot spot  38  of the billiards table  18  and removing the first loop from around the balls  16  to form an arrangement of seven balls so that the center ball  26  is also on the centerline  36  of the table. 
   Turning to  FIG. 7 , shown therein is a top view of the billiards rack  10  in use. Depicted is a set of billiard balls  16  in one of the two circular loops  12 ,  14  consisting of six balls around the perimeter of the loop and one ball  26  on the foot spot. A typical table  18  alignment of the rack positions a ball  26  the center ball at the middle of the foot spot  28  on the table. In conventional billiard rules, the player would then break the balls  16  with the cue ball starting from behind the head string  30 . The step of forming an arrangement of balls is accomplished by placing one of the six balls disposed around the perimeter of the first loop of the billiards rack on the center line of the billiards table directly behind the first billiards ball  26  so that the center ball is also on the center line of the billiards table. 
   Turning to  FIG. 8 , shown therein is a top view of the billiards rack  10  setup for traditional Eight Ball. Depicted is a set of billiard balls  16  in both of the two circular loops  12 ,  14 . Each loop  12 ,  14  consists of six balls  16  around the perimeter of the loop with one ball in the center and one  26  on the foot spot outside both loops. A possible table alignment positions the perimeter of the rack on the foot string  28  of the table  18 . In conventional billiard rules, the player would then break the balls  16  with the cue ball starting from behind the head string  30 . The step of forming an arrangement of balls is accomplished by placing the tangent point between the first and second loop on the center line  36  of the billiards table so that the edge of the first and second loop is on the foot string and the billiards balls are all located behind the foot string. 
   Turning to  FIG. 9 , shown therein is a top view of the billiards rack  10 . The two circular loops  12 ,  14  are symmetrical. Co-joined at one side  20 , the on center dimension “D” is equal to the diameter of each loop  12 ,  14 . This ensures a consistent rack. In addition, the symmetrical pattern allows the rack  10  to be flipped on the opposite side with no effect on the ball positions. 
   Turning to  FIG. 10 , shown therein is a top view of the billiards rack  10  for Fourteen Ball. Depicted is a set of billiard balls  16  in both of the two circular loops  12 ,  14 . Each loop  12 ,  14  consists of six balls  16  around the perimeter of the loop and one ball in the center. A possible table alignment positions the perimeter of the rack  10  on the foot string  28  of the table  18 . Foot spot  38  is also shown. In conventional billiard rules, the player would then break the balls  16  with the cue ball starting from behind the head string  30 . The step of forming an arrangement of balls is accomplished by placing the tangent point between the first and second loop on the center line  36  of the billiards table so that the edge of the first and second loop is on the foot string  28  and the billiards balls are all located behind the foot string. 
   Turning to  FIG. 11 , shown therein is a perspective view of an alternate billiards rack  10 . Shown is an alternate billiards rack made of a flexible strap assembly  32  that when in use forms two symmetrical circular loops  12 ,  14 . Each circular loop  12 ,  14  may hold up to seven billiard balls, six balls around the perimeter of each loop and one ball in the center. 
   Turning to  FIG. 12 , shown therein is an isometric view of the alternate billiards rack  10 . The alternate billiards rack  10  is a flexible strap assembly  32 . When not in use, the billiards rack  10  can be flexed and folded to provide easy storage and carrying. The flexible strap  32  is supported by a rigid plate  34  that ensures proper shaping of the circular loops  12 ,  14  when the billiard rack  10  is in use.