Abstract:
A rest for use in playing snooker, billiards and similar games comprises a shaft ( 12 ) and a head ( 10 ). The head ( 10 ) includes a fitting ( 11 ) for connection to the shaft ( 12 ) and has a configuration such that it can provide support for a cue at a number of different spacings from a support surface on which the rest is placed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to rests and is concerned with the provision of an improved form of rest for use when playing snooker, billiards and other similar games, such games being referred to hereinafter for convenience as snooker. 
         [0002]    A typical form of snooker rest comprises a shaft and a head that is of X-form so that two limbs of the X are placed on the snooker table and the cue that is being used to make a shot passes between the other two limbs of the X. Another known form of rest is a butt rest that comprises a pair of spaced vertical limbs that are interconnected by a curved bridge or support surface on which the cue is supported. 
         [0003]    The design of the standard form of rest used when playing snooker is such that, when a player makes a shot using the rest, the butt of the cue that the player is holding is positioned in front of the player&#39;s face, rather than the player holding the cue with his normal playing stance. 
         [0004]    The cueing action that a player adopts is thus not the same as that which he normally adopts and there are limitations on the range of shots that he can play using a rest. 
         [0005]    It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of rest for use when playing snooker. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    According to the present invention there is provided a rest comprising a shaft and a head, the head including a fitting for connection to the stem and having a configuration such that it can provide support for a cue at a number of different spacings from a support surface on which the rest is placed. 
         [0007]    The configuration of the head may be as shown in any of the figures of the accompanying drawings. 
         [0008]    The design of the head is thus such as to enable the player to strike the ball using his normal cueing action rather than having to lift the butt of the shaft in front of his face. A full range of shots can thus be played with an increased degree of confidence. 
         [0009]    The configuration of the head may be such that different parts of the rest can be placed in contact with the support surface to provide the different spacings. The configuration of the head may alternatively be such that a zig-zag portion provides the different spacings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  shows three possible positions of a first form of head for a snooker rest when being used by a left-handed snooker player, 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows three possible positions of the first form of head for a snooker rest when being used by a right-handed snooker player, 
           [0012]      FIGS. 3 to 6  show an alternative head design, and 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a rest having the head shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    The head  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  7  includes an internally threaded socket  11  that is open at both ends and receives the end of a shaft  12 . The shaft  12  will normally be telescopically adjustable, for example, within the range of from 600 mm. to 1,000 mm. in length. The shaft  12  may alternatively be of fixed length, for example, 600 mm. in length or 1,500 mm. in length. The shaft  12  may also have means for attachment of a cue extension. The end of the shaft  12  has releasable threaded engagement in the socket  11  of the head  10 , so as to permit reversal of the head  10  relative to the shaft  12  to permit use of the rest by a left-handed player as well as by a right-handed player. 
         [0015]    As an alternative to having a threaded connection between the end of the shaft  12  and the head  10 , a plug-in connection may be provided between the end of the shaft  12  and the head  10 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows three positions of the head  10  relative to the support surface  13 , i.e. the table, on which it is placed. The head  10  can be regarded as including a base portion  14  having a first end  15  and a second end  16 , a stem  17  extending from the first end  15  of the base portion  14  and terminating at an end  18  that is in register with the second end  16  of the base portion  14 , and a branch  19  extending from the stem  17  and terminating in an end  20  that is in register with the first end  15  of the base portion  14 . 
         [0017]    This is the position indicated as (a) in  FIG. 1 , in which the two ends  15  and  16  of the base portion  14  are resting on the support surface  13  and in which, in use, the cue will be placed at the position indicated as  21 , in which it is supported in the fork defined by the branch  19  and the end portion of the stem  18 . The position (a) of the head  10  is that at which the cue is supported at the maximum height from the surface  13  of the table. The player can thus strike the upper part of the ball using his normal cueing action and his normal stance. The shaft  12  of the rest will be held by the player in the right hand and the cue in the left hand. 
         [0018]    The design of the head  10  is such that it can be laid on the table in a number of different orientations so as to provide support for the tip of the cue, with the tip of the cue being positioned at a number of different heights as most appropriate for the shot that the player wishes to make. 
         [0019]    When the head  10  of the rest is turned through 90° from the position shown in  FIG. 1  ( a ) so that the first end  15  of the base portion  14  and the end  20  of the branch  19  are in contact with the table, as shown in  FIG. 1  ( b ), the cue is placed in the position indicated as  22 . The cue is positioned in the angle between the base portion  14  and the stem  17 . The cue is thus supported so that the tip thereof is located quite close to the table at a position such that the player can safely strike the lower part of the ball, again using his normal cueing action and his normal stance. 
         [0020]    When the head  10  of the rest is turned through 90° in the opposite direction from the position shown in  FIG. 1  ( b ) into the position shown in  FIG. 1  ( c ), the second end  16  of the base portion  14  and the end  18  of the stem  17  of the head  10  are in contact with the table and the cue can be placed in the position indicated at  23 . The height at which the cue is supported is thus intermediate the heights obtained with the head positioned as shown in  FIGS. 1  ( a ) and  1  ( b ). 
         [0021]      FIGS. 1  ( a ), ( b ) and ( c ) show the three possible positions for the head  10  when the rest is being used by a left-handed player whereas  FIGS. 2  ( a ), ( b ) and ( c ) show corresponding positions of the head when the rest is being used by a right-handed player. 
         [0022]    The head shown in  FIGS. 3 to 6  can be attached to the rest in four different orientations as indicated as  40 ,  41 ,  42  and  43  depending on the position at which the player wishes to place the rest relative to the balls on the table. The head of  FIGS. 3 to 6  includes a pair of spaced legs  44 ,  45  the ends of which can be placed on the table and a zig-zag formation  46  interconnecting the legs  44  and  45 . The zig-zag formation  46  provides positions at which the cue can be supported with the tip of the cue at different spacings from the table. 
         [0023]    The head design shown in  FIGS. 3 to 6  allows the player to position the shaft of the rest at a position to the side of the cueing line, thus avoiding obstruction from other balls. If necessary, the head may be turned over to provide the required position of support for the cue while avoiding obstruction from other balls. The head design of  FIGS. 3 to 6  can be used with any suitable length and type of shaft and with any appropriate form of connection between the head and the shaft.