BILLIARDS PRACTICE DEVICE

• US 20090111594A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Charles H. Spence
• Original Assignee: Charles H. Spence
• Inventors: Spence, Charles H.
• Application Number:
  US11/927,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20090111594A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/2
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 15/006 Training or aiming arrangements on billiard tables

Abstract

A billiards practice device has (a) a body defining a central portion sized and dimensioned to accept and closely retain a billiards ball; and (b) the body further defining a viewing port located such that, when the billiards ball is retained within the central portion, the lower portion of the billiards ball is visible to a user. In practice, the billiards practice device is used in combination with an elongate handle. In one embodiment, the elongate handle is provided by a cue stick which is attached to the billiards practice device, such as by being disposed in press fit within a bore defined in the body.

Claims

1. A billiards practice device comprising:

(a) a body defining a central portion sized and dimensioned to accept and closely retain a billiards ball; and

(b) the body further defining a viewing port located such that, when the billiards ball is retained within the central portion, the lower portion of the billiards ball is visible to a user.

2. The billiards practice device of claim 1 in combination with an elongate handle.

3. The billiards practice device of claim 2 wherein the handle is at least three feet in length.

4. The billiards practice device of claim 2 wherein the handle is between about four feet and about five feet in length.

5. The billiards practice device of claim 2 wherein the handle is provided by a cue stick having a tip end and a handle end, the tip end of the cue stick being press fit into the lateral bore of the body.

6. The billiards practice device of claim 1 wherein the body is donut shaped and wherein the viewing port is provided by a beveled underside of the body.

7. The billiards practice device of claim 1 wherein the body is a split ring.

8. The billiards practice device of claim 1 wherein the viewing port is provided by a lens.

9. The billiards practice device of claim 1 wherein the body has the shape of a portion of a hollow sphere.

10. The billiards practice device of claim 1 wherein the body is donut shaped and wherein the central opening has a circumferential ridge sized and dimensioned to be slightly less than the diameter of a billiards ball for which the billiards practice device is to be used, so that, when such billiards ball is disposed within the central opening, the billiards practice device is supported upon the billiards ball.

11. The billiards practice device of claim 1 wherein the body has generally vertical legs.

12. The billiards practice device of claim 1 wherein the central opening is lined with a non-abrasive material.

17. A method for repeatedly practicing a billiards shot comprising the steps of:

(a) providing the billiards practice device of claim 1;

(b) providing an elongate handle attached to the body, the handle comprising a tip end and a base end;

(c) placing an object ball at a first specific location on a billiards table;

(d) placing a cue ball at a second specific location on the billiards table;

(e) attempting to sink the object ball by contacting the object ball with the cue ball struck by the tip end of a first cue stick;

(f) capturing the object ball with the billiards practice device by grasping the base end of the handle and therewith manipulating the central portion of the billiards practice device around the object ball to capture and retain the object ball;

(g) using the base end of the handle to drag the object ball proximate to the first specific location on the billiards table;

(h) precisely locating the object ball at the first specific location by manipulating the object ball with the billiards practice device while observing the lower portion of the object ball and the first specific location through the viewing port;

(i) capturing the cue ball with the billiards practice device by grasping the base end of the handle and therewith manipulating the central portion of the billiards practice device around the cue ball to capture and retain the cue ball;

(j) using the base end of the handle to drag the cue ball proximate to the second specific location on the billiards table;

(k) precisely locating the cue ball at the second specific location by manipulating the cue ball with the billiards practice device while observing the lower portion of the cue ball and the second specific location through the viewing port; and

(l) repeating steps (e)-(k) a plurality of times.

18. The billiards practice device of claim 17 wherein the handle is provided by a second cue stick having a tip end and a handle end, the tip end of the second cue stick being press fit into the lateral bore of the body.

13. A billiards practice device comprising:

(a) a body defining a central portion sized and dimensioned to accept and closely retain a billiards ball;

(b) the body further defining a lateral bore sized and dimensioned to accept and retain the tip end of a cue stick in press fit; and

(c) the body further defining a viewing port located such that, when the tip end of a pool cue is retained within the lateral bore and when a billiards ball is retained within the central portion, the lower portion of the billiards ball is visible to a user.

14. The billiards practice device of claim 13 wherein the body is a one-piece body and the lateral bore is defined within the one-piece body.

15. The billiards practice device of claim 14 wherein the body is a two-piece body having a major portion and a minor portion and wherein the lateral bore is defined within the minor portion.

16. The billiards practice device of claim 13 wherein the body is donut shaped and wherein the viewing port is provided by a beveled underside of the body.