Patent Publication Number: US-2015080138-A1

Title: Tungsten carbide ferrule for cue/billiard sticks

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to Pool/Billiard Cues 
     2. Description of the Art 
     A Cue/Billiard Stick typically has an elongated shaft, a butt at one end and a ferrule mounted on the opposite or distal end which supports a tip. Cue/Billiard sticks can be constructed of one or more pieces and jointed together. The Ferrule is attached to the tapered end of the shaft by means of either a tenon projecting out of the end of the shaft and inserted into the hollow bore of the Ferrule or by screwing on to a threaded tenon. 
     Ferrules are typically made of plastic, phenolic, composites or natural materials. These Ferrules can crack and/or break during use and therefore make the Cue/Billiard Stick unusable. They also discolor with time, chalk, powder and use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will provide a Cue/Billiard Stick with a Ferrule composed of Tungsten Carbide. The Ferrule is attached to the Cue/Billiard stick or shaft typically by gluing or epoxying to the tenon. This Tungsten Carbide Ferrule composition has been tested and shown in actual play with a prototype to be the most desirable and decoratively attractive. This material will virtually eliminate cracking, breaking or discoloration and while providing strength the metal ferrule also produces an extremely firm and solid hit when stroking the billiard ball. The weight of the metal ferrule will provide desirable forward balance to the Cue Stick as compared to normal plastic or ivory ferrules as it weighs approximately 0.6 oz. The thin wall of the ferrule results in more wood surface area on which to attach a leather tip. This greater surface area will allow more energy transfer through the wood than conventional ferrules. The present invention can be utilized with any kind of wood and any type of shaft in which a tenon can be machined. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The various features, advantages and other uses of the present invention will become more apparent by referring to the following description and drawing in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an end view of the Tungsten Carbide Ferrule  1 . 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the Tungsten Carbide Ferrule  1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the Tungsten Carbide Ferrule  1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     Referring now to the drawings, a Cue/Billiard stick comprises a shaft having a longitudinal axis, a ferrule mounted on a distal end of the shaft and a leather tip supported by the ferrule and tenon. The Ferrule  1  in this application is made of polished Tungsten Carbide which is much harder and more desirable, playable and decoratively appealing than conventional plastic ferrules. It is also extremely resistant to scratching, discoloring, shrinking and breaking The Tungsten Carbide Ferrule  1  is flat on both ends with no chamfer either inside or outside. This provides for an extremely thin and almost invisible glue line at the distal end of the shaft. The inside diameter of the Tungsten Carbide Ferrule  1  is rough cast with small ridges  2  to provide extra surface area for the epoxy or resin glue to adhere to. 
     The Tungsten Carbide Ferrule  1  is attached to the shaft of the Cue/Billiard stick by means of a tenon. The tenon is formed on the shaft and extends longitudinally outward from the distal end of the shaft. In combination the tenon is glued with a resin or epoxy inserted into the bore of the Tungsten Carbide Ferrule  1  until the end of it tightly engages the distal end of the shaft. 
     The length of the Tungsten Carbide Ferrule  1  can be varied but ideally it should be between ½″-1¼″. 
     A leather tip can be of any normally utilized tip material can then be glued and shaped to match the circumference of the ferrule.