Improvements in or relating to Billiard Oues and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: .
Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1584-Accepted, 8th Dec, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Billiard Oues and the like.
I, JAMES HUGHES of 78 Thomas Street, Manchester, Hotel Proprietor, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
Theso improvements refer to billiard and similar cues and have for their object
to provide means of fixing the tip in a more efficient and permanent manner than
heretofore and to enable such tip to be readily renewed when worn down or
requiring to be replaced by a new one.
In carrying out my invention I reduce the cue for about half an inch of its
length from the tip end, and on this reduced extremity I fit an internally screw
threaded, by preference metal ferrule or tube open at both ends and about three
quarters of an inch in length. This ferrule therefore after being sorowed onto the
cue and against the shoulder formed by reducing the cue extends about a quarter
of an inch beyond the cue end. Into this open end of the ferrule I fit (by screwing
and cementing or otherwise) a small cylindrical plug or coupling piece, whose
widest diameter coincides with that of the ferrule aforesaid and is therefore flush
with the cue and ferrule surfaces. To the end of this plug or coupling piece the
leather tip is applied, which tip however is not of the usual form, but has a shank
or staple which takes into a hole or opening in the centre of the coupling piece and
being glued, or cemented thereiu helps to fix the tip in position. To additionally
secure the tip and give it a firm foundation and to prevent its spreading when in
use, a leather, vulcanite buffalo hido or other suitable washer is introduced
between the coupling piece and the tip to which the latter is glued or cemented. A
composite washer of hide and leather or vulcanite and leather may be employed.
And in order that my said invention shall be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings and will
now proceed to describe the same with the assistance of the various figures and
letters of reference marked thereon.
Fig. 1 illustrates the tip end of a billiard cue with my improvements shewn
applied thereto, partly in section, and on an enlarged scale for the sake of
clearness.
Figs. 2 to 5 illustrate clovation and plan views respectively on the same scale of
the several parts of my improved cue tip connection.
Figs. 6 to 8 illustrate similar views of a modification.
In accordance with my invention (A) is the cue, the end (A') of which is
reduced or shouldored down as illustrated in Fig. 1. Onto this reduced end the
ferrule or tube (B), (see Fig. 2) is fitted, and whilst serving for the purposes herein-
after described, also serves to bind the end of the cue and prevent its splitting.
This ferrule (B) is of sufficient length to project beyond the cue ond, and into the
projecting portion a plug or coupling piece (C) (see Fig. 5) is fitted, the length of
the shank, of said plug and the length of the reduced portion of the cuc eud
being such as will cause both when fully scrowed into the ferrule, to abut against
cach other and so take up the rigidity of the cuc.
(D) (see Fig. 3) is the leather tip I employ, having a shank (E) which takes into
a hole (F) in the plug (C) and is cemented or glued therein to fix it in position.
Such tip shank is, by preference plain, and the holo into which it fits is also plain,
but if desired this latter may be screw threaded, the leather taking the impression
of the thread under pressure of its being twisted into the hole. Between the tip and
the plug (C) is the washer (G) (see Fig. 4) having a hole (H) in its centre for

page_text: the shank of the tip to pass through. This washer is, preferably made of buffalo
hide as it is found in practice to be more durable and more suited to the purpose
than other hard substances.
Instead of screw threading the ferrule (B) from end to end I may screw thread
that part only which fits on the cue leaving the other part plain and as a means of
fixing the plug (C) I form one or more indentations in the ferrule lengthwise,
either before or after inserting the plug, which take into indentations formed in the
plug and by the assistance of glue or cement firmly fix the plug and prevent its
turning round. This might be done in addition to screwing, but if (as it is
preferred) the indentations are formed before the putting of the parts together the
screw thread will require to be omitted. A further alternative for fixing the
plug (C) consists in forming slots in the tube (B) with small ribs or projections on
the sides of the plug which taking into said slots prevent the plug turning round
(see dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 5). Said projections on the plug may be strips of
wood or metal let into grooves in the plug, or part of the plug itself.
As a modification of my invention may form the tip (D) with a dovetail
shank or its equivalent (sco Fig. 6) fitting into a corresponding dovetail
groove (J) in the plug or coupling piece (C) (see Fig. 8). The shank is made as
wide as possible permissible with the washer (G) being in one piece, or the shank
may extend entirely across the tip and the washer be made in segments.
To renew the tip when worn down or to remove the parts froin the cue the glue
or cement is softened by steam or hot water which enables the parts to be readily
separated or unscrewed.
By means of my improved tip attaching devices it will be seen that the end of
the cue is protected and the renewing of the tip does not involve the paring or
cutting down of the cue as heretofore, and therefore the life of the cue is
indefinitely prolonged.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manuer the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood
that I do not claim a tip having a shank broadly nor do I confine myself to the
precise form and proportions of parts, nor to the exact means of fixing them
together as the same can be varied without departing from my invention and what
I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-
1st. In billiard and other cues, the tip (D), washer (G), plug (C) and ferrule (B)
or their equivalent, mounted and applied as hereinbefore set forth and illustrated in
Figs. 1 to 5 of the nccompanying drawing.
2nd. In billiard and other cues the tip (D) washer (G), plug (C), ferrule (B) or
their equivalent as hereinbefore set forth and illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8 of the
accompanying drawing.
Dated this 30th day of October 1894.