Improvements in Billiard and other Cues.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 13th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Billiard and other Cues.
I, ALFRED BENSON of 329 Victoria Park Road Hackney London Lithographer
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 improvements in billiard and other cues, and has for its
object to provide a cue by means of which the stroke required to propel the ball
aimed at the required distance with the desired force may be accurately gauged.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood, I have shown the
same in the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is an outer view of my improved cue.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the cue and
Fig. 3 a cross section on line y y¹ of the same figure.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a modified cue, and
Fig. 5 a cross section on line x of the saune figure.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
My invention consists in fitting in a recess formed in an ordinary cue A a tubular
casing B in such a manner that the cuo may be capable of sliding freely within the
said casing B. The cue A is provided as usual with a tip t and its upper end (Fig. 1)
is furnished with divisions a a¹ by means of which the force required to effect
the necessary stroke can be accurately ganged. A hollow cone C of wood, cork, or other
suitable material, may in some cases be mounted on the upper part of the casing B
as shewn in Fig. 1 and 2, this cone serves to rest the cue on the billiard table and as
a handle to grasp, when making use of the said cue.
A spiral springs is coiled upon a portion n n of the cue A suitable recessed at for
that purpose, the end e bearing against the shoulder, while the other end e' is fixed to
the casing and rests against the stop or disc d. is the butt end of the cue which
when a stroke is contemplated, is grasped in the right hand, while the cone is laid
upon the billiard table and held by the left hand. The butt end of the cue being
now withdrawn a distance equal to the number of divisions required, the spring s is
compressed and as the said butt is suddenly released, the spiral spring s expands,
and drives the cue along with an amount of force corresponding to the number of the
division selected. Instead of a spiral spring I may use as shown in Figs. 4 and 5,
two elastic bands m m', arranged in the recesses, on both sides of the cue A,
and fixed at their upper ends to the casing B by means of pins or rivets oo while
their lower ends are secured to the cue A by the pins or rivets o' o¹. The action with
this arrangement is the same as above described. I sometimes dispense with the cone (>
and use the cue in the ordinary manner, the left hand being placed on the billiard
table so as to form a rest for the cue, which is guided between the thumb and index.
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 [
claim is-
1. In billiard and other cues, the combination of a cue A recessed at r and r¹ with
an outer casing B and a spiral spring s coiled upon a portion n n of the cuc
substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.

page_text: 2. The improved cue for billiards, bagatelle or other similar games of skill,
arranged constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 6th day of October 1890.
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.