Tool for Squaring Cue Stick Ferrule and Shaping Cue Tip

Various different forms of tools have been provided for installing new tips on cue sticks, squaring the end face of a cue stick ferrule upon which a cue tip is to be mounted and shaping the outer end of the cue tip after it has been mounted. In addition, while some of these previously known tools are portable, the most efficient tools for reconditioning a cue tip ferrule, mounting a tip thereon and shaping the outer face of the tip are not of the truly portable type. Accordingly, while reasonably portable and relatively usable clamps are available for maintaining a cue tip in clamped position on a cue stick ferrule while associated attaching adhesive dries or other wise cures, a need exists for a portable tool which may be readily utilized to clean and square a cue tip ferrule and to shape the outer face of a cue tip after it has been secured to a cue stick ferrule.

Examples of various different forms of cue stick tip reconditioning tools including some of the general structural and operational features of the instant invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 60,503, 153,433, 285,360 and 4,321,737.

The tool of the instant invention includes a sleeve having first and second ends and defining a longitudinal bore formed therethrough. The end of the bore which opens outwardly through the first end of the sleeve is slightly flared and the second end of the sleeve is externally threaded. An internally threaded cap is removably threadedly engageable over the sleeve second end and defines an end wall closing the sleeve second end. The inner surface of the end wall is equipped with a concave partial spherical recess and the outer periphery of an abrasive disc may be clamped between the sleeve second end and the outer peripheral portions of the end wall after the disc has been deflected to conform to the concavity of the recess in the end wall. The first end of the sleeve may then be telescoped over the tip end of a cue stick having had a new tip mounted thereon and the body, comprising the sleeve and the cap, may then be rotated relative to the cue stick in order to properly shape the outer surface of the cue tip so as to be convex spherical. On the other hand, a rigid disc having an abrasive disc abutted thereagainst may be clamped between the second end of the sleeve and the outer periphery end wall of the cap in lieu of the first mentioned abrasive disc and the tip end of a cue stick to have a new tip applied thereto may be telescoped into the first end of the bore after which the body comprising the tool may be rotated relative to the cue stick in order to clean and square the tip mounting face of the ferrule carried by the end of the cue stick. Thus, a simple, highly portable and readily usable tool is provided for use in reconditioning a cue stick tip end.

The main object of this invention is to provide a tool (for use in conjunction with readily available and defective clamps for use in clamping a cue stick tip to a cue stick ferrule during a gluing operation) for squaring a cue stick ferrule prior to glueing a cue tip thereto and shaping the tip after the tip has been secured to the ferrule.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tool in accordance with the preceding object and which is highly portable and extremely effective in performing its intended functions.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a tool which may be used effectively even by inexperienced persons.

A final object of this invention is to provide a tool in accordance with the preceding objects and which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the tip end portion of a cue stick and with the tool of the instant invention operatively associated therewith;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 but with the tool components in exploded position relative to the cue stick;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the sleeve and end cap portions of the body of the tool in assembled relations;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the tip end of a cue stick with the tip removed and the ferrule illustrated in longitudinal section before having the end face of the ferrule squared by the tool of the instant invention for receiving a cue tip, the latter being illustrated in phantom lines;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the tool and its components before being assembled for the purpose of squaring a cue tip ferrule end face;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the tip end of a cue stick with the tool of the instant invention illustrated in longitudinal section and operatively associated with the cue stick for squaring the end face of the ferrule;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the tool preparatory to assembly for the purpose of shaping the end face of a tip applied to the ferrule of a cue stick;

FIG. 8 is an assembled view of the tool and in initial operative association with a cue stick having a new tip mounted thereon preparatory to shaping the outer face of the tip; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the cue stick end after having the outer face of the cue tip shaped by the tool of the instant invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a cue stick having a ferrule 12 mounted on its tip end. The ferrule 12 includes an end wall 14 whose outer face 16 usually has glue or other adhesive remnants 18 thereon when a cue tip is dislodged from the end of the cue stick 10.

The tool of the instant invention is referred to in general by the reference numeral 20 and has, as one of its function, the removal of the remnants 18 and the squaring of the outer end face 16 of the end wall 14 preparatory to the securement of a new cue tip thereto.

The tool 20 comprises a two-piece body including a sleeve 22 having first and second ends 24 and 26 and defining a longitudinal bore 28 extending therethrough. The end of the bore 28 opening outwardly from the first end 24 of the sleeve 22 is slightly outwardly flaired and the second end 26 of the sleeve 22 is externally threaded as at 30. In addition, the body comprising the tool 20 also includes an internally threaded end cap 32 which defines an end wall 34 for closing the second end 26 of the sleeve 22 when the cap 32 is threaded on the second end of the sleeve 22.

The inner surface of the end wall 34 includes a partially spherical concave recess 36. Further, a rigid disc 38 of a diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of the end wall 34 is provided as well as one or more stiff but flexible discs 40 of abrasive material. Further, a cylindrical body 42 is also provided including one planar axial end face 44 and a second convex partial spherical end face 46.

The sleeve 22, cap 32 and body 42 may be constructed of suitable plastic or similar material and the disc 38 may be constructed of metal. Further, the disc 40 may comprise the conventional sandpaper having an abrasive on one side thereof. Also, it will be noted that the radius of curvature of the end face 46 is the same or slightly smaller than the radius of curvature of the recess 36.

Assuming that the cue stick 10 has had its cue tip dislodged therefrom and that the outer face 16 of the ferrule 12 mounted on the stick 10 has glue or other adhesive remnants 18 thereon, when it is desired to smooth and square the face 16 prior to the attachment of a new cue stick tip thereto the tool 20 is assembled in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings with the disc 38 abutted against the outer periphery of the end wall 34 and the disc 40 abutted against the side of the disc facing away from the recess 36. When the tool 20 is thus assembled and the cap 32 is tightly threadedly engaged with the sleeve 22, the outer peripheral portions of the discs 38 and 40 are clamped between the outer periphery of the inner surface of the end wall 34 and the axial end face 50 of the second end 26 of the sleeve 22. In this manner, the discs 38 and 40 are tightly stationarily clamped against shifting relative to the tool 20 and the latter and the cue stick 10 may be relatively rotated in order to abrade the remnants 18 from the outer face 16 and to square the outer face 16 preparatory to the attachment of a new cue stick tip thereto.

After the outer face 16 of the ferrule 12 has been cleaned and squared in the manner set forth above, the discs 38 and 40 may be removed from the tool 20 by the removal of the end cap 34 and a new abrasive disc 52 (alternately the old abrasive disc 40 may be used) is positioned between the outer periphery of the inside of the end wall 34 and the end face 50 of the second end 26 of the sleeve 22. However, the end wall 34 is not immediately tightened on the sleeve 22. Rather, the body 42 is positioned within the sleeve 22 and the cue stick 10, after having a new tip 56 mounted thereon subsequent to the cleaning and squaring of the outer face 16, is telescoped into the sleeve 22 behind the body 42 and axial pressure is applied between the tool 20 and the stick 10 in order to force the end face 46 of the body 42 into the recess 36 and thereby deflect the dics 52 to the position thereof illustrated in FIG. 8 of the drawings with the disc 52 conforming to the curvature of the recess 36. While such axial pressure is maintained, the cap 32 is tightened on the second end 26 of the sleeve 22 in order to clamp the thus formed disc 52 in position relative to the body or tool 20. Thereafter, the cue stick 10 may have its tip end removed from the second end 24 of the sleeve 22, the body 42 may be similarly removed from the sleeve 22 and the tip end of the cue stick 10 having the new tip 56 secured thereon may be reinserted in the sleeve 22 and positioned with the outer end face 58 of the tip 56 engaged with the formed disc 52. Thereafter, the body or tool 20 and stick 10 may be relatively rotated in order to enable the formed disc 52 to properly convexly shape the end face 58 of the tip 56 to the partially spherical convex configuration thereof illustrated in FIG. 9.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.