Abstract:
Apparatus for holding and supporting a cue bridge stick while playing a game such as pool and billiards. The top of a body member holds the bridge handle, while the bottom of the body member connects to legs for supporting the body member from a flat surface such as the playing surface of a pool table. The legs extend downwardly from the body member a desired distance to rest upon the playing surface.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This invention related to an apparatus for supporting, in combination with a prior art device referred to as a “bridge”, a cue stick for striking and propelling a driving ball (sometimes called a “cue ball”) over a flat surface. More particularly, games such as pool and billiards require that a ball be driven along a precise path over a flat surface. A driving ball may be inconveniently located close to other balls or beyond easy reach of a player, and therefore be difficult to strike with precision. This invention relates to an apparatus to facilitate striking such inconveniently located driving balls. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Games of pool or billiards have endured over the years since their respective invention and now involve large rosters of professional players, large audiences and large sums of money. The apparatus for playing these games are being upgraded by highly skilled and inventive artisans who are inspired by a love of the game and by the large sums of money available to improve and facilitate play of the games. Such apparatus includes, but is not limited to, at least one driving, or cue ball which is usually white in color, a plurality of variously colored balls, sometimes called “object balls,” which are to be propelled in desired directions by the cue ball, and one or more cue sticks utilized for striking a cue ball. A cue stick may typically be about five feet long and made of wood such as ash or maple and be circumferentially tapered from about 14 mm diameter at a free, gripping end to about 11 mm diameter at an opposite, free striking end. Advantageously, there is assembled to the cue stick at the striking end, a deformable tip so the cue ball may be pressed into the tip by force of the cue stick when it is longitudinally translated and the Up is driven against the cue ball. The pressing of a deformable tip to a cue ball facilitates giving “spin” to a cue ball, sometimes called giving English to the ball. Another purpose of the tip is to impart velocity to the cue ball; still another purpose is to impart precise aim to the cue ball. It will be appreciated that imparting and controlling such spinning, velocity and aim cannot be achieved unless the cue stick is properly supported so its tip engages the cue ball exactly as desired by a player. Normally, such support is achieved by a player applying a first hand near the gripping end of the cue stick for supportively translating the cue stick and applying a second hand near the striking end for supporting and guiding the tip of the cue stick into the desired engagement with the cue ball. Such guiding is typically achieved by placing the second hand downwardly upon the flat driving surface of the table, then raising the knuckles and thumb upwardly to form a “V” shaped bridge between the thumb and adjacent knuckle for supportively guiding the cue stick. Also, a player may utilize the forefinger of the guiding hand to wrap around and guide the cue stick. If the cue ball is close to a side rail which supportively encompasses the table, such rail may be utilized by the guiding hand to supportively guide the cue stick. 
   A problem is that the cue ball may not always be conveniently located whereby supportively translating and guiding the cue stick may be achieved utilizing only a player&#39;s first and second hands. For example, the cue ball may be located closely adjacent to one or more object balls. Also, the cue ball may be located so far away from a side rail of the table that a player cannot extend his or her second hand sufficiently to get close enough to the cue ball to supportively guide the cue stick and tip into the desired engagement with the cue ball. 
   The problem of inconveniently located cue balls was addressed in the prior art primarily with apparatus referred to as a “bridge” (sometimes called a “rake” because the bridge sometimes resembles a miniature garden rake). The bridge has a handle resembling a cue stick with a gripping free end and a guiding end. Across the guiding end there is provided a rectangular guide plate. The guide plate has a longer side which may be 4″ to 6″ long and a shorter side which is about 2″-2½″ long. An edge of the longer side and an edge of the shorter side have “V” shaped notches. In use the player places one long side of the guide plate on the flat playing surface, utilizing the bridge handle to position the guide plate on the player&#39;s side of the cue ball. Then the cue stick has its handle, adjacent the guiding free end, placed into a notch along the upper edge of the bridge. By manipulating the gripping end of the cue stick with the player&#39;s one hand and manipulating the gripping end of the bridge handle with the player&#39;s other hand, the tip of the cue stick is brought into a desired position for engagement with the cue ball. When the cue ball is obstructed, such as by one or more object balls, the player rotates the bridge handle to bring one of the short sides of the rectangular guide plate to rest on the flat playing surface, elevating the notch on the other short side of the bridge guide plate. The cue stick handle, adjacent the guiding end of the cue stick, is then placed in the elevated notch, whereby the cue Up may be translated over the obstruction and into a position for the desired engagement with the cue ball. 
   A problem with prior art bridges is that the guide plate often provides unstable support of the cue stick. Such instability is especially evident when the guide plate is rotated to rest on its short end to elevate the guiding end of the cue stick. Sometimes the guide plate cannot be placed sufficiently close to the cue ball, and so the cue stick, slidably supported in a notch in the guide plate, cannot be properly translated over obstructions and into the desired engagement of a cue ball. 
   Accordingly, it is desirable to provide new and improved apparatus for supporting portions of a bridge and a cue stick. It is desirable to bring the guiding end of the cue stick and its tip into a desired engagement with the cue ball when the cue ball is inconveniently distant from a player or is obstructed, such as by object balls. Prior art bridges are found with most pool and billiard apparatus, so it is desirable to provide apparatus to enhance guiding support provided by such bridges. It is further desirable that such apparatus be easily carried in a player&#39;s pocket and be readily applied to such known bridges. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Apparatus is provided for supporting a load such as a portion of a bridge and a cue stick utilized in playing games such as pool and billiards. A bridge support has a body with bottom legs and a top trough which is upwardly concaved and of a size and shape to fit closely and at least slightly more than halfway around the circumference of the handle of a bridge. The trough is sufficiently long so the length and fit of the trough provide the desired support for the bridge. A portion of the cue stick is supported by the bridge, and, therefore, portions of the bridge and the cue stick are supported by the bridge support of the invention. The trough of the body also has opposing sidewalls extending the length of each side of the trough and of a height above that of the bridge handle when placed in the trough sufficient that each sidewall has portions above the handle which may curve away from the opposing portion to readily accept and guide the bridge handle into the trough. 
   In a presently preferred embodiment, the body and its sidewalls are made of resiliently pliable material, and the sidewalls are biased toward one another such that the sidewalls are forced apart to accept the bridge handle in the trough with a snap-fit. Such material of the body and the snap-fit are sufficiently strong that the bridge support may remain firmly snapped onto the handle when the bridge is lifted and carried about by a player. 
   The opposing sidewalls of the body may extend downwardly from the trough to form on either side of the body respective opposing skirts for connection to respective opposing support legs. A top portion of each leg may be flattened into a plate extending upwardly along a surface of a respective skirt inwardly of the body. A thru-bore in each skirt and a thru-bore in each plate may be provided, and a respective skirt and the plate of a respective leg may be assembled in matching relation by a thru bolt and nut installed and tightened in matching thru-bores for connecting each leg to a skirt. 
   The opposing skirts of the body form an inverted “V” shape, whereby the legs when connected to such skirts extend downwardly to continue and enhance the inverted “V” shape. Such legs are sufficiently long to support the body with a bridge handle therein so the bridge guide plate will support and aim the guiding end of a cue stick in a manner and at sufficient height to engage a cue ball as desired. 
   In a further embodiment, at the bottom end of each leg, a rounded smooth portion is provided so the bridge support may be slid over a playing surface without damage to said surface. 
   In another embodiment, the legs are pivotally connected to the skirts of the body. Resilient inserts are employed in nuts for bolts for biasing a leg plate against its respective skirt such that, when a leg is pivoted about a bolt said bolt and its connecting nut remain in tight connection. The plate at the top of each leg plate may have a cam configuration around its bolt connection. A portion of the cam is wider than the remaining portions, and such wider portion bears on a portion of the body to prevent pivoting of the leg in a first circular direction and to permit pivoting of the leg in a second circular direction. When both legs are pivoted in the desired second circular direction, the legs may be stored in a preferred manner substantially parallel to the bridge handle. When the body is snapfitted to such bridge handle and the legs are properly pivoted for storage, the bridge support is readily carried by a player along with the bridge. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the drawing wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of a Prior Art bridge utilized to support and guide a cue stick. 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the Prior Art bridge shown in FIG.  1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of a substantially rectangular guide plate taken along line  3 — 3  in FIG.  1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a rear view of the guide plate taken along line  4 — 4  in  FIG. 2  but showing the guide plate rotated. 
       FIG. 5  is a pictorial view of an unseen player manipulating one hand upwardly to elevate and guide a cue stick gripped by his other hand using the Prior Art to engage a cue ball. 
       FIG. 6  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 5 , wherein a Prior Art bridge is utilized in a typical manner to support and guide a cue stick to engage a cue ball which is too distant for the player to engage utilizing only his hands. 
       FIG. 7  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 5 , wherein the bridge handle is rotated to turn the guide plate upwardly extending its full length for the player to bridge over an obstructing object ball to engage a cue ball using the Prior Art. 
       FIG. 8  is a view similar to FIG.  6  and  FIG. 7 , wherein a typically oriented bridge is elevated by a bridge support in accordance with the present invention such that the guide plate is utilized in an elevated manner so the cue stick may be bridged well over obstructions for engaging the cue ball. 
       FIG. 9  is a top view of a bridge support according to one embodiment of the instant invention. 
       FIG. 10  is a front elevation view of the bridge support shown in  FIG. 9 , taken along line  10 — 10  in FIG.  9 . 
       FIG. 11  is a side elevation view of the bridge support shown in  FIG. 10 , taken along line  11 — 11  in FIG.  10  and showing pivoting of the support legs. 
   

   It can be seen that some features in the figures are abbreviated or simplified to highlight certain aspects of the invention. Also, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated in the figures to designate the same or corresponding features. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   It is well know among pool and billiards players that a slight error in engaging and striking a cue ball can make a serious difference in the path and spin of the ball and the results of the play. Much skill is required when a cue ball is inconveniently located, such as by being distant from the reach of a player&#39;s arms or by being closely obstructed such as by object balls. One approach to engaging such cue balls is to employ a mechanical extension to a player&#39;s reach utilizing a device such as a bridge  10  shown in FIG.  1 . The bridge  10  includes a handle  12  having a free gripping end  14  and tapering to a thinner, opposite end  16 , very much like a conventional cue stick shown in  FIG. 5. A  difference is that the handle  12  has no cue tip, but instead is fixedly assembled to a hub  18  of a substantially rectangular guide plate  20  disposed across the free end  16  of the bridge handle  12 . 
     FIG. 3  is a front view of guide plate  20  taken along line  3 — 3  in  FIG. 1. A  phantom outline  19  is drawn about guide plate  20  in  FIG. 3  to indicate the substantially rectangular configuration of plate  20 , which may be 4″ to 6″ long and may be 2″ to 2½″ wide. Plate  20  has a face  21  containing the hub  18 , and there is a long bearing edge  17  and another long opposite edge  22  containing notches  23 ,  24  and  25 . The end  16  of bridge handle  12  is seen in section in  FIG. 3 , and it is fixedly attached by means (not shown) to hub  18 . Also, for clarity, a phantom lined picture of an end  27  of an unseen cue stick  42  is shown in notch  24  to appreciate the function of bridge  10 , which will be shown in more detail below. Bridge  10  is seen in FIG.  1  and  FIG. 3  resting on a playing surface  28  which is typically hard and flat and covered by a soft material such as felt. When seen in the typical manner of  FIG. 1 , bridge  10  resembles a miniature garden rake. 
     FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the bridge  10  shown in FIG.  1 . However, the bridge handle  12  has been rotated toward the viewer to bring guide plate  20  to rest on surface  28 , bearing upon a short edge  30  as depicted in FIG.  4 . Note that there is another opposing short edge  32  which is upwardly oriented and is elevated so a notch  34  in edge  32  may be utilized to hold and aim an unseen cue stick  42 . Note also that the bridge handle  12  in  FIG. 2  has been elevated above surface  28  to better bridge over an obstructing object ball  40 . 
   In another prior art method of bridging over an obstructing ball  40  on a surface  28 ,  FIG. 5  shows a pictorial view of an unseen player engaging a cue ball  50 . A cue stick  42 , having a gripping end  44  and a guiding end  46 , is utilized without benefit of a bridge. The player&#39;s first hand  52  is applied near the gripping end  44  of cue stick  42  for supportively translating the cue stick  42 . The player&#39;s second hand  54  is applied near the guiding end  46  to cue stick  42 . Such guiding is achieved by placing hand  54  downward upon the surface  28 , then raising the knuckles  55  (one shown) and the thumb  56  upwardly as shown in FIG.  5 . There is formed a “V” shaped bridge  57  between the thumb  56  and the adjacent knuckle  55 , and the fingers  58  and  59  (or more) bear on surface  28  to support “V” shaped bridge  57  for supportively guiding cue stick  42  over obstructing object balls  40  and  41  and into engagement with cue ball  50 . A problem with the prior art method shown in  FIG. 5  is that the cue ball may not always be within easy reach of the players hands  52  and  54  and the cue stick  42 . Another problem is that one or more obstructing balls may be much closer than the object balls  40  and  41  are to cue ball  50 . These and other problems are addressed in  FIGS. 6 and 7  and are believed more fully resolved utilizing the present invention as shown in FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 6  shows a typical method using the bridge  10  to extend the reach of the players&#39; hands  52  and  54 . The guide plate  20  is rested in its most stable position on its long edge  17 , and the opposite long edge  22 , having a notch  24 , is utilized to hold and guide cue stick  42 . The player&#39;s hand  52  typically continues to grip end  44  and translate cue stick  42 , but hand  54  is now used to grip end  14  of handle  12  and to manipulate as desired said bridge handle  12  to bring plate  20  into position behind the cue ball  50  and to hold and stabilize bridge  10  during the play. 
     FIG. 7  shows a typical use of the bridge  12  to reach the cue ball  50  when it is obstructed by an object ball  40 . The guide plate  20  is pivoted upwardly by the player&#39;s hand  54  as indicated by the arrows R 2 —R 2  until the guide plate  20  rests on its short edge  30 , and the opposite, upward short edge  32  and its notch  34  can be utilized to hold and guide the cue stick  42 . Notch  34  is about twice as high above playing surface  28  as is notch  24  shown in FIG.  6 . Accordingly, the end  46  of cue stick  42  may easily be bridged over the obstructing ball to engage the cue ball  50 . However, it will be appreciated that the bridge  10  is not nearly as stable in  FIG. 7  as it is in FIG.  6 . Moreover, the player&#39;s aim is known to be less effective and control of the translating function of hand  52  is less precise in playing a cue ball  50  with bridge  10  in the manner shown in FIG.  7 . Moreover, the bridging function is less adequate when there are more than just one obstructing ball  40  as shown in FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 8  shows my new and improved apparatus for bridging a cue stick  42  over what may be several obstructions, such as object balls  51 ,  52  and  53  shown on surface  28 , to engage a cue ball  50 . Bridge  10  is elevated and stabilized by a bridge support  60  having a body  62  and legs  71  and  73 . Only leg  73  can be seen in  FIG. 8 , and its further detail will be explained later below. 
     FIG. 8  shows that bridge support  60  is attached near end  16  of handle  12  of bridge  10 . However, bridge support  60  is slidably attached to handle  12  so holder  60  may be moved according to arrow D—D to an advantageous position such as that shown in  FIG. 8  when guide plate  20  is disposed between obstructing balls  51  and  52 . A player&#39;s hand  54  grips end  14  of bridge handle  12  and slides bridge  10  forward or back to suit the conditions on surface  28 . The end  14  of handle  12  may also be raised and lowered using holder  60  as a fulcrum according to arrow A—A to move guide plate  20  up or down according to arrow B—B to avoid an obstruction such as ball  52 . Note that, with holder  60 , there is no need to rotate guide plate  20  as shown in  FIG. 7 , so the instability associated with using the short edges  30  and  32  of guide plate  20  is avoided. 
   Reference is now made to  FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  11  which are respective top, front, and side views of bridge support  60 .  FIG. 9  shows that support  60  may hold and support an unseen bridge by its handle  12 , shown only partially and in phantom lines in  FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  11 . Support  60  includes a body member  62  having an upwardly concaved top trough  64  and opposing sidewalls  66  and  67  which fit closely more than half way around the circumference of handle  12 , as seen in FIG.  10 . The trough  64  and its sidewalls  66  and  67  are of a length (about 1″ as shown) along handle  12  sufficient to provide stability for holding the load of bridge  10  and cue stick  42  (neither shown). 
   In a presently preferred embodiment, the body member  62 , its trough  64  and sidewalls  66  and  67  are made of a material such as a resilient plastic which is pliable. Sidewalls  66  and  67  are curved inwardly toward each other and have portions  68  and  69  which are curved outwardly. The portions  68  and  69  ( FIG. 10 ) are far enough apart to readily guide handle  12  toward trough  64 , and sidewalls  66  and  67  are biased toward one another so they are forced apart by handle  12  to form a snap-fit on handle  12  when handle  12  is placed in the trough  64 . The snap-fit may be sufficiently tight that the entire bridge support  60  remains attached to bridge handle  12  and is not detached when bridge  10  is carried about for play or stored in a conventional stick rack. 
     FIG. 10  is a front view of bridge support  60  shown in FIG.  9  and is taken along line  10 — 10  of FIG.  9 . The sidewalls  66  and  67  extend downwardly from trough  64  to form opposing skirts  74  and  75  which are preferably coextensive in length with the trough  64  to support the load of at least portions of bridge  10  and cue stick  42 . The skirts  74  and  75  also contain means such as thru-bores (not shown) to make connection to the legs  71  and  73 , utilizing bolts  78  and  79  and nuts  80  and  81 . The legs  71  and  73  may be at least partially rounded as shown at the bottom ends  88  and  89  for protecting an unseen covered surface from damage when bridge support  60  is slid over such surface. 
   The connecting means for the tops of legs  71  and  73  may include flattened portions  84  and  86  as shown in FIG.  10 . Such portions  84  and  86  extend sufficiently upward along and in contact with the inward surfaces of the skirts  74  and  75  such that the bolts  78  and  79  and nuts  80  and  81  can firmly connect the legs  71  and  73  for stability and reliability. 
     FIG. 11  is a side view of bridge support  60  taken along line  11 — 11  in FIG.  10 . The skirt of near sidewall  67  has been broken away to show means for controlling the pivoting of leg  73 . The tops of the top plates  84  and  86  have cams  92  having a wide portion  94 . Accordingly, if leg  73  is pivoted in a clockwise direction, the wider portion  94  will bear on a bottom portion  96  of the body  60  and prevent pivoting in that direction. However, when leg  73  is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction as shown by arrow C—C, the wider portion  94  is pivoted away from body portion  96  and the desired pivoting is achieved, bringing leg  73  to the position shown, substantially parallel to the bridge handle  12 . It will be appreciated that both legs  71  and  73  may be pivoted as described and the bridge support  60  may remain on the bridge handle  12  when support  60  is not being utilized for bridging. In a further embodiment, the bolts  78  and  79  may contain resilient means such as pliable washers or pliable material in nut bores (not shown) such that the nuts  80  and  81  hold tight when legs  71  and  73  are rotated. In a still further embodiment, the skirts  74  and  75  and the legs  71  and  73  are formed into an inverted “V” shape ( FIG. 10 ) for stability and to distribute the load on the support  60  substantially equally between legs  71  and  73 . It will be further appreciated that the legs  71  and  73  may be made longer or shorter to suit a player&#39;s desire for height above a surface  28  for engaging a cue ball  40 . 
   There have been illustrated herein certain embodiments of the invention and certain applications of the embodiments. Nevertheless, it is to be understood that various modifications and refinements may be made and utilized which differ from these disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
   For example, in another embodiment, caps of a material which develop friction with the playing surface  28  may be applied over the bottom ends  88  and  89  of the legs  71  and  73 . The material may be elastic to provide a tight fit over the ends may be advantageously frictional with the surface  28  to prevent movement of legs  7  and  71  during play of the game.