Adjustable Fence Billiard Rack for Multi-Game Setup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing racking devices for pocket billiards are inefficient and not adaptable for multiple games, requiring multiple devices with different dimensions, which is not practical or commercially successful.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece, integrated racking device with rotating fences (gates) that can be adjusted from a straight pool to 9-ball configuration without changing racks, allowing for efficient ball placement and easy removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single racking device is used for multiple games, then the need for multiple racks is eliminated and storage space is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to the need for adjustable fences
Solution Approach 1:
The racking device incorporates movable fences that can be adjusted to different positions using hinge pins and slots. This dynamic structure allows the same rack to accommodate different ball configurations for multiple games (straight pool, 8-ball, 10-ball, 9-ball) without requiring separate racks for each game type.
Solution Approach 2:
The racking device is designed as a universal multi-functional unit that can serve multiple purposes. By integrating adjustable fences that can be repositioned along the sides of the triangular rack, a single device can properly rack balls for different game types, eliminating the need for multiple specialized racks.
2Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable fences are added to accommodate different games, then versatility for multiple games is achieved, but the ease of operation decreases due to additional adjustment steps
Solution Approach 1:
The racking device divides the adjustment mechanism into discrete, manageable segments. Each fence can be independently adjusted using individual hinge pins that fit into predefined slots. This segmentation allows for quick, step-by-step reconfiguration without requiring complex adjustments, maintaining ease of operation while achieving versatility.
3Ease of manufacture
If a one-piece integrated design is used, then manufacturing simplicity and structural integrity are improved, but adaptability for different games deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The one-piece triangular rack body is manufactured as a single integrated structure for simplicity and strength, while the fences are designed as adjustable components that attach to this rigid base. This combination maintains manufacturing simplicity for the main structure while incorporating dynamic, adaptable elements where needed to achieve multi-game compatibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A pocket billiards racking device for one or more game configurations. The rack shows a practical, functional, useful and simplified improvement. The design improvements shows a conventional equilateral triangle rack, showcasing a novel set of positional “fences” (i.e., Gates). The Gates, or Fences, incorporated, inset and hinge-pin within the triangular rack, simplifying the setup of the games and streamlining its design.