Games using tangible projectile – Billiards or pool – Practice device or device to aid in aiming cue or cue ball...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-09
2004-07-13
Garbe, Stephen P. (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Billiards or pool
Practice device or device to aid in aiming cue or cue ball...
C273S108210
Reexamination Certificate
active
06761643
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to training devices for teaching pocket billiards, and more particularly, to a felt overly for covering the playing surface of a pool table that includes a plurality of color-coded indicia representing a series of various prescribed billiard shots, and an associated guide manual including instructions for imparting English to the cue ball for each of the various prescribed shots.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pocket billiards, a game commonly referred to as pool, requires a combination of skill and knowledge to effectively strike a cue ball with a cue stick to direct a plurality of object balls into pockets located around the edges of the playing surface. One of the more important and difficult aspects of the game is the use of “English” to impart spin to the cue ball to affect its trajectory, as well as the trajectory of the object ball. Primarily, English is a technique used by skilled players to control the cue ball after impact with an object ball to align the cue ball for the next shot. Additionally, English is also used by skilled players to provide for a strategic placement of the cue ball to make an opponents next shot more difficult, to prevent the cue ball from rolling into one of the pockets, commonly called a scratch, and imparting spin to an object ball. For purposes of this application, any spin that may be applied to the cue ball will be referred to as English.
One of the problems for a novice billiards player is knowing what type and how much English to impart to the cue ball for a given shot to properly position the cue ball at a desired location after impact with the object ball. In order to effectively impart English to a cue ball, it is important for the player to understand how the cue ball will react in a variety situational shot types.
Helping to increase the player's skill, numerous training and learning devices have been developed to improve the players knowledge of the interaction between the cue ball and the object ball. However, these prior teaching devices do not provide any device that teaches a comprehensive use of English in a variety of shot types to help a player improve his knowledge and skill in controlling the cue ball.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,887 discloses a guide utilizing spots and rings drawn on a playing surface for teaching specific angle shot aiming techniques. This device does not provide any training for the use of English in properly setting up and making pool shots and fails to provide other needed training procedures for teaching a variety of different type pool shots as would be found in an actual game.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,494 discloses a training device comprising a planar material placed on the playing surface of a pool table having a set of prearranged indicia for teaching different angle shots. Again, however, this device is limited to teaching only angle shots and does not provide a method for teaching how to make other shots such as carom shots and bank shots, commonly used by those skilled in the game. While the invention does disclose some indicia on the playing surface for imparting English to the cue ball, it is limited to left and right English and does not disclose how to impart other types of spin to the cue ball for a variety of shot types, or for using English to set up subsequent shots. Furthermore, there is no distinction between the various indicia to avoid confusion between predetermined shots represented by the indicia.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,817 discloses a carom guide for pocket billiards designed to be positioned at various locations on the playing surface of the pool table to provide indicia for making a plurality of specific carom shots only. As with the other devices in the prior art, this device fails to provide indicia for performing a plurality of different situational shot types as would be encountered in an actual game of pool, and fails to provide any training for the use of English in making and setting up different shot types.
In the game of pocket billiards, it is of the highest importance to leave the cue ball in a good position after a shot to allow the player to have a proper line for the next shot. As noted, the method used by those skilled in the game to accomplish a proper placement of the cue ball is the use of English to impart spin to the cue ball. The prior art fails to provide appropriate training for imparting English to a cue ball for a variety of different shot types, as a player would find during a regular game of pool.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a training device for teaching a player how to use English on a cue ball for a variety of different shot types to both make shots and setup the cue ball for other shots.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a training device for teaching a player how to repeatedly perform a variety of different shot types that would commonly be found during a game of billiards.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above objectives are accomplished according to the present invention by providing a training device for teaching a player pocket billiards on a pool table. The training device comprises an overlay for placement on the playing surface of a pool table, where the playing surface is bordered by railings with cushions adjacent the playing surface and four corner pockets and two side pockets.
In the preferred embodiment, indicia are displayed on the overlay representing a plurality of various prescribed shots, including carom shots, rail bank shots, and angle shots commonly encountered during a game of billiards. Preferably, a cue ball marker and an object ball marker are included in the indicia for each of the various prescribed shots for indicating the placement position of a cue ball and an object ball on the overlay. A first trajectory line is included in the indicia for each of the shots extending between the cue ball marker and the object ball marker. A second trajectory line is also included in the indicia extending from the object ball marker in the direction of one of the pockets for illustrating a prescribed travel path for the cue ball and the object ball.
In the preferred embodiment, the training device includes an associated guide manual containing English instructions for enabling the player to impart spin to the cue ball specific to individual ones of the various prescribed shots.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the training device includes a cue ball return area included in the indicia on the overlay that designates an area in which the cue ball is to return after impact with the object ball. Preferably, the cue ball return area is located on the overlay to generally correspond to a central area of the playing surface of the pool table. Preferably, the associated guide manual for the training device contains instructions for enabling the player to impart a requisite amount English to the cue ball for each of the various prescribed shots to cause the cue ball to return to the cue ball return area at the end of each shot when executed correctly.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the training device indicia for each of the prescribed shots are a different color so that the player can easily differentiate between the plurality of shots displayed on the overlay. Additionally, the cue ball marker and object ball marker for each of the shots can be a different color so that the player can easily differentiate between the ball markers for the plurality of shots displayed on the overlay. Also, the first and second trajectory lines for each of the prescribed shots can be a different color so that the player can easily differentiate between the trajectory lines for the plurality of shots displayed on the overlay.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the training device includes a carom ball marker included in the indicia in a number of the prescribed shots. Additionally, the overlay includes an interference ball marker in the indicia in a number of the prescribed shots to allow the player to practice a varie
Aryanpour Mitra
Garbe Stephen P.
McNair Law Firm, P.A.
LandOfFree
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