Abstract:
A spring activated pool cue is disclosed for use in games such as billiards. The device has also been designed to be taken apart for convenient storage and transport.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/320,147 filed on Apr. 25, 2003. The entire disclosure is incorporated by reference herein. 

   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not applicable. 
   REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING 
   Not applicable. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   (1) Field of the Invention 
   This invention is directed toward pool cues used in games that are played on a billiard table such as pool, billiards, snooker, and the like. The pool cue of this invention is a hollow shaft wherein a mechanical spring loaded mechanism is activated inside the cue so that the cue tip is projected outward to strike a billiard ball. The striking force may be varied by an adjustment at the end of the cue. The design of the cue looks very similar to a standard pool cue that is manually struck against the billiard ball. The cue is designed to be disassembled for convenient storage and transport. 
   (2) Description of Related Art 
   U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,348,006, 5,628,691, 4,949,964, and 4,718,671 all disclose various methods of creating a variable length cue stick. The methods in these patents include screw assembly and telescoping. Various locking methods are disclosed to fix the telescoping length. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,441 discloses a cue tip that is spring loaded in connection with a silicone encasement. The goal is to provide additional momentum to the ball when struck. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,983 discloses a spring activated cue using a ratchet and pawl. The invention is overly complicated in order to move the cue tip forward and backward, and most of the cue length moves relative to the end which contains the spring actuation mechanism. This makes it difficult for an operator to hold and aim correctly. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,123 discloses a spring activated cue using a saw tooth ratchet mechanism that locks the cue tip inside the hollow cue shaft. It is difficult for the operator to know exactly where the cue tip will strike the ball as the cue tip is recessed within the hollow cue. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,370 discloses a spring activated cue designed with two pieces: a moving portion and a fixed portion. The moving portion is difficult for the operator to hold steady and strike on the desired ball spot when suddenly activated. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,588 discloses a spring activated cue tip for a shorter cue length with an awkward push button and method to vary the striking force. The striking force is restricted to a few select forces and is not continuously adjustable. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,447,805 discloses a spring activated cue. Similar to U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,370 the moving portion is difficult for the operator to hold steady and strike on the desired ball spot when activated. Also the striking force is restricted to a few select forces and is not continuously adjustable. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 1,604,023 discloses a spring activated cue tip with a moving stock piece at the end of the cue. When activated, the device is designed for the cue tip to strike the ball and return to the latched position. To do this, a stock piece at the other end pops out. The end stock piece is then pressed inward to reset the device. There is additional internal undesirable movement that disturbs the aim of the operator and makes the striking force less predictable. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 1,182,530 discloses a spring activated cue tip that includes two springs and a gun trigger type of release mechanism. A primary forcing shaft strikes a secondary shaft which is attached to the cue tip. The energy needed to activate the device is set by a sliding collar. The collar is troublesome and the operator must remember to slide it to the proper forward position or the device activation will impact the collar which is liable to hurt the operator&#39;s hand. The gun trigger is an unnatural and undesirable way of holding a cue, making the cue awkward to aim. 
   U.S. Pat. Nos. 673,753 and 673,693 both disclose a spring activated cue. Similar to U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,370, the suddenly moving portion is difficult for the operator to hold steady and strike on the desired ball spot when activated. Two springs are used to create the striking energy and also retract the moving portion partially into the fixed portion. 
   In addition, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,634,123, 4,526,370, 4,134,588, and 3,447,805 the adjusting mechanism provides a higher striking force with the longer ball striking movement which is undesirable as a longer cue may contact other balls causing a game violation. 
   None of the above disclosed spring activated devices provide for operator convenience in traveling or storage. There has been no consideration for convenient disassembly for a more convenient length suitable for a carrying or storage nor has there been consideration for economic and simplified manufacturability. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention is directed toward a piece pool cue that is designed to strike the cue ball with a cue tip that is spring activated and also overcomes the problems just mentioned with similar devices. The device has also been specifically designed to be taken apart for storage, transport, and easy repair. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       FIG. 1  is a general arrangement of the spring activated pool cue as a cross section. 
       FIG. 2  is a detail of a release cylinder used in the activation mechanism. 
       FIG. 3  is a detail of a retaining ring for the release button. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  shows a general arrangement cross section of the pool cue as conceived in this invention. To aid in understanding this general arrangement, the pool cue is made up of the following items.
         No. Description     10  Release mechanism cavity     11  Trigger release button spring     12  Trigger release button     13  Release cylinder     14  Barrel spring     15  End plate     16  Threaded rod     17  Threaded bushing     18  Tension adjustment coupler     19  Rear impact rod     20  Stop edge     21  Front impact rod     22  Pin     23  Machined tip     24  End impact tip     25  Threaded connection for cue barrels     26  Threaded connection for impact rods     28  Rear cue barrel     30  Front cue barrel     31  Contact point     33  Barrel taper     35  Drilled opening in rear cue barrel     40  Machined recess       
   The cue is made up of two elongated barrels, a front cue barrel  30  and a rear cue barrel  28 . Both barrels may be made from materials such as aluminum, titanium, graphite, and wood. A preferred embodiment is to begin with a solid aluminum dowel or billet. The overall length of the cue can vary from a typical four and one half feet long to any length specified by a prospective owner. The barrel outside diameter is preferably 1.25 inches. The barrels are preferably made by drilling length wise with a gun drill bit to bore ⅛ inch hole or a 3/16 inch hole as illustrated to allow the front impact rod  21  and rear impact rod  19  to freely move. A taper  33  in machined on the outside diameter the front cue barrel  30  and rear cue barrel  28  to match existing cue designs. The outside of the barrels can be given a high quality machined or polished finish. 
   It should be noted that  FIG. 1  is not drawn to scale. The length is shortened for the sake of showing the important features of the invention. 
   The front cue barrel  30  and rear cue barrel  28  are carefully machined so that they can be screwed together by male and female threads  25  near the middle of the overall cue length. The machining must be done carefully to ensure that the mating surfaces keep the overall cue assembly straight. 
   The rear cue barrel  28  is also drilled or machined out, preferably to ⅝ inches in diameter and 4 to 6 inches deep, to allow the barrel spring  14  and release mechanism assembly to be inserted into the cue. A stop edge  20  illustrates where the diameter changes. The end diameter of the rear cue barrel  28  is also machined to allow room for the tension adjustment coupler  18  to be assembled. 
   The rear cue barrel  28  is also drilled out  35 , preferably to ⅜ inches in diameter and just deep enough to allow the trigger release button  12  and the trigger release button spring  11  to be inserted. A spring release mechanism cavity  10  is created inside the rear cue barrel  28  by the machining and drilling. 
   The barrel spring  14  and release mechanism assembly is designed to provide for continuously variable energy storage in the barrel spring and provide for a fixed stroke length for striking a billiard ball. 
   The energy stored in the barrel spring  14  is adjusted by an assembly of four parts. A threaded rod  16  is firmly fixed to a threaded tension coupler  18  and an end plate  15  so that they all rotate together. A threaded bushing  17  is fixed to the end of the rear cue barrel  28  by a pin or other means. When the tension adjustment coupler is turned, the threaded rod  16  turns inside the threaded bushing  17  and causes the end plate  15  to move and compress the barrel spring  14 . This assembly provides for a continuously variable amount of stored energy. The stiffness of the spring may be designed to the preference of the owner. 
   The trigger release assembly consists of three important parts. A trigger release button  12  is inserted in the rear cue barrel and also in a release cylinder  13 . A trigger release button spring  11  is under the trigger release button  12 . The mechanism is shown in the locked position with spring force being applied to the trigger release button. 
   When the trigger release button  12  is pressed into the rear cue barrel  28 , the contact  31  between the trigger release button  12  and the release cylinder  13  is removed and the release cylinder  13  then slides forward until the stop edge  20  prevents movement. The trigger release button  12  is machined to a shape that matches slots in the release cylinder  13  to allow the motion to occur. The trigger release button spring  11  helps to prevent unwanted activation of the pool cue by keeping the trigger release button  12  in the locked position until activated by the owner. It also provides for a convenient re-locking action on the trigger release button  12  when getting ready for the next pool shot. 
   A machined recess  40  on the release cylinder  13  provides support for the barrel spring  14  and optionally includes room for a washer to ensure a smooth turning for the barrel spring  14  when the spring compression is adjusted. 
   When the release cylinder  13  is allowed to slide forward, it then pushes the rear impact rod  19  forward. The rear impact rod  19  is firmly threaded into the release cylinder  13 . The rear impact rod  19  is connected to a front impact rod  21  by a threaded connection  26 . The front impact rod  21  is connected to a machined tip  23  which is attached by a pin  22  or other means. The machined tip  23  is then attached to an end impact tip  24  which will actually strike the billiard ball. The attachment design for the end impact tip  24  may be by glue, threading, press fit, or other mounting means. The end impact tip  24  may be a typical material used in pool cues as desired by the owner. The attachment may include the use of a knurled or threaded hole. Various designs may be used that allow a quick change. 
   The pool cue may be disassembled for storage by first unscrewing the front impact rod  21  and then unscrewing the front cue barrel  30 . The rear impact rod  19  is prevented from rotating because the release cylinder  13  is prevented from rotating by the trigger release button  12 . 
   The pool cue is reset for the next shot merely by pushing the impact rods and tip assembly back into the cue. The trigger release button spring  11  pushes the trigger release button  12  into the locked position and which holds the cue ready for the next shot. 
     FIG. 2  shows a detail of the release cylinder  13  in a view in the same direction as the release button motion. An enlarged eyehole  39  is designed to engage a larger diameter of the trigger release button  12  and provide a smaller diameter slot  32  that will slide past the trigger release button  12  when the invention is activated. 
     FIG. 3  shows an additional important detail that is omitted in  FIG. 1 . A machined aluminum retainer ring  41  is added to the outside diameter of the rear cue barrel  28 . It slides over the length of the cue in the direction as illustrated to lock the trigger release button  12  inside the rear cue barrel  28  and prevent it from falling out. The retainer ring  41  has an outside diameter small enough to allow the trigger release button  12  only enough motion to perform its function and not spring out. 
   In general, the cue can be modified as per the desires of the owner. The overall design provides for the use of a variety of materials. Also the cue exterior may be modified by various paints, surface textures, anodizing, and knurling. 
   This invention lends itself very readily to the use by persons with handicaps or disabilities. 
   This invention may be adapted in length to fit for use by the preference or need of the owner. 
   This cue barrels have been designed, in a preferred embodiment, to be made by the use of standard machining techniques from an aluminum dowel or billet. This allows the customization of the cue to the length, surface texture, and appearance specified by an owner. 
   While various embodiments of the present invention have been described, the invention may be modified and adapted to various similar pool cues to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is not limited to the description and figure shown herein, and includes all such embodiments, changes, and modifications that are encompassed by the scope of the claims.