# US 4,396,192 A · Pool ball

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- Number: US 4,396,192 A
- Document ID: US4396192A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/302,829
- Filed: 1981-09-16
- Granted: 1983-08-02
- Earliest claimed: 1981-09-16
- Assignees: Brunswick Corporation
- Inventors: Larry G. Fitzpatrick
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4396192A

## CPC

- B29D 99/0042: {Producing plain balls (hollow balls B29D22/04)}
- A63B 37/00: Solid balls; {Rigid hollow balls; } Marbles (heavy throwing balls A63B65/06)
- A63B 43/00: Balls with special arrangements
- A63B 2209/08: magnetic
- A63B 2243/002: Billiards
- B29C 70/68: by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers {, e.g. foam blocks (mould constructions therefor B29C33/12; joining preformed parts by moulding B29C65/70)}
- B29L 2031/54: Balls
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A cue ball has a metal insert therein in the form of a ring having a center of mass coinciding with the geometric center of the cue ball. The body of the cue ball is formed of a nonmetallic material in a conventional ball mold. A locating insert is formed of the same nonmetallic material as the body of the ball and has a solid cylindrical body about the center of which a thin strip of metal material is wrapped forming a ring. The insert with the metal ring disposed thereon is positioned within the ball mold along a diameter thereof with an outermost end of the insert resting on the inner surface of the mold. In one embodiment, the locating insert includes an annular groove extending about the cylindrical body and in which the metal is wrapped. The length of the insert from an outermost end of the insert to the center of the annular groove is equal to the radius of the ball mold. In another embodiment, the locating insert includes a cylindrical body with a length equal to the width of the metal strip and shafts of reduced cross-sectional area extending outwardly therefrom along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body. The length of the insert from the outermost ends of the shafts to the center of the cylindrical body about which the metal is wrapped is equal to the radius of the ball mold.

## Claims

### Claim 1

In a pool ball having a spherical body of nonmetallic material, an insert comprising:
a locating insert of nonmetallic material having a solid cylindrical body and at least one shaft of reduced cross-sectional area extending outwardly from and on the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body, the length of the locating insert from an outermost end of the shaft to the center of the cylindrical body being equal to the radius of the pool ball, the insert being disposed within the spherical body of the pool ball along a diameter of the ball; and
a thin strip of metal material annularly wrapped about the center of the cylindrical body to form a metal ring having a center of mass coincident with the geometric center of the pool ball.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The pool ball of claim 1 wherein the outermost end of the shaft forms a distinguishing mark on the outer surface of the pool ball.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The pool ball of claim 1 wherein the diameter off the metal ring is at least 5/8".

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The pool ball of claim 1 wherein the metal material forming the ring is ferrous.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The pool ball of claim 1 wherein the metal ring has a thickness of approximately 0.001".

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The pool ball of claim 1 wherein the non-metallic material of the locating insert is a plastic resin.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The pool ball of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical body of the insert includes an annular groove, the annular groove having a width equal to the width of the metal ring and the geometric center of the groove coinciding with the geometric center of the cylindrical body, the strip of metal being wrapped about the annular groove.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The pool ball of claim 1 wherein the length of the cylindrical body is equal to the width of the metal ring.