A New or Improved Cue, more particularly intended for Playing Billiards, Bagatelle, and other similar Games with Balls upon Small or Miniature Tables, but also applicable for Use in connection with Ordinary Billiard Tables.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 18º5
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Cue, more particularly intended for Playing
Billiards, Bagatelle, and other similar Games with Balls upon
Small or
Miniature Tables, but also applicable for Use in
connection with Ordinary Billiard Tables.
I, HERBERT LITTON SIORDET, of 67, Eccleston Square, London, S.W
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be 'performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
My invention relates to a new or improved cue by means of which accurate shots,
in such games as billiards, bagatelle and other similar games with balls, can be
made upon a small or miniature table, which has hitherto been impossible owing to
the cue, if sufficiently large 'to conveniently handle, 'being altogether out of
proportion to the size of the balls and table, while on the other hand should the
cue be made small enough to correspond in size at all with the small balls and table,
it could not be effectively handled and accurate shots were therefore impossible.
This improved cue when made in a somewhat larger form can also be used with
the ordinary or full size table where space is restricted and the ordinary long cue
cannot be effectively employed.
In carrying my invention into practical effect I provide a spring cue consisting
according to one form of my invention, of a hollow cylindrical body or case furnished
with end pieces or plugs entering same, the said plugs or end pieces being furnished
with central holes or perforations through which the cue proper passes, the said
cue being provided with an enlarged portion, boss or stop contained within the said
cylindrical body or case, while between the aforesaid end pieces and the boss or
stop two spiral springs are arranged, one on each side of same, so that upon the end
of the cue being drawn back the rear spring is compressed, which when the cue is
released, forces the said cue forward making the necessary stroke, the front spring
acting as a stop or buffer for preventing the cue from travelling too far in the
forward direction.
In modified forms of my invention elastic or strips of elastic are used to replace
the aforementioned springs, the said elastics being arranged with a similar object in
view, viz. the actuation of the cue in a forward direction by one or one set of
elastics and a second elastic or set of elastics acting as a checking medium to limit
the forward travel of the cue.
In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I will now proceed to
describe same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved spring cue, Fig. 2 being a similar view of
same with the case or body, and end pieces in section, and Fig. 3 .a similar view
with the cue drawn back ready for making the stroke.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of cue, Fig. 5 being a plan of same
with the cover removed and Fig. 6 a side elevation also with the cover removed.
Figs. 7 and 8 are plans of further slightly modified forms.
My improved spring cue as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 consists of a hollow
cylindrical case or body b, furnished with plugs or end pieces p, p, partially
entering same, and which may be either forced in or the parts screw threaded or
retained or held in position in any convenient manner. Each plug or end piece is
furnished with a central hole or perforation through which the cue passes, the

page_text: latter carrying an enlarged portion; boss or stop p³ contained within the case b and
between this boss or stop and the end pieces p, p¹, two springs g, g', are arranged
which may be either contained loosely within the case or secured to their respective
end pieces and also to the boss or stop p. If arranged in this latter manner, upon
the cue being drawn back the rear spring g' is depressed while the front spring gis
put in a state of tension. In the modified form of cue shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6
the springs g, g¹ are replaced by elastics, and when constructed according to this
form the cue consists of a light frame having end pièces f1, 2, furnished with
holes or perforations through which the cuer passes, the said frame being provided
with a cover C as shown in Fig. 4. In this form one strip of elastic may be
employed, secured to each end of the frame and attached at about the middle to
the cue as shown at m, so as to practically divide the elastic into two arms or
strips a, a. Upon the cue being drawn back the front clastic a is put in a state of
tension and serves to actuate the said cue in a forward direction when it is released.
so as to make the necessary stroke, while the second elastic a¹ acts as a check for
preventing the cue from travelling too far in the forward direction.
The cue shown in Fig. 7 is mounted upon a strip s furnished with cross
pieces c, c, provided with central holes or perforations. through which the cuer
passes, a front pair of elastics e, el, are provided, which are attached at their rear
ends to the cross piece c while the forward or front ends are bound or suitably
secured to the cue r, a second pair of elastics e³, e³, are also, provided secured at
one end to the cross piece c' and also at the other to the cue r. In this form or
arrangement the rear elastics e, e³, serve for actuating the cue, while the forward
elastics e, e¹, form the restraining or checking medium. The form of cue shown in
Fig. 8 is very similar to that shown in Fig. 7 with the exception that the
elastics e, e', and e, e, are arranged between the cross pieces c, c', instead of to
the outsides of same. In this case each pair of elastics e, e and el, e³, may be formed
in one piece and bound or suitably connected at about the centre to the cue r as
shown at m, (Fig. 8).
With my improved cue all the ordinary shots now possible on a billiard table
can be made, while the force of the stroke can be regulated by increasing or
decreasing the distance to which the cue is pulled back before making the stroke,
screw shots being also rendered possible by the return action of the buffing spring
or elastic.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved spring cue consisting of the body or case b, end pieces p, p', in
combination with cue r, boss or stop and springs g, g', substantially as herein
described and shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings and for the purposes specified.
2. The modified form of cue consisting of frame f, having end pieces f¹,/?,
cover or case C, in combination with the cue and elastics a, a', substantially as
herein described and shown in Figs. 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings and for
the purposes specified.
3. The further modifications of the cue substantially as described and shown in
Figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th day of November 1895.