.~.~ Having characteristic enabling ball to be mechanically separated from other balls
DEFINITION
Classification: 473/53
Having characteristic enabling ball to be mechanically separated from other balls:
(under subclass 52) Subject matter wherein the ball has some physical attribute such as size, weight, presence or amount of magnetic or magnetically susceptible material, etc. which is different from any other ball used in playing a game of pool, which physical attribute enables a means associated with a pool table or gameboard to detect the attribute of a pocketed ball and to segregate it in a location on the pool table or gameboard (e.g., a ball rack) different from the location where other pocketed balls are stored.
(1) Note. Usually, it is the cue ball that has the unique physical attribute so that when a scratch occurs (i.e., when the cue ball is unintentionally pocketed during a shot), the cue ball may be returned to the player(s) in order that the game may continue.
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
22+, particularly subclass 23 in which the table or gameboard includes means to distinguish or identify each ball pocketed, subclass 24 in which the table or gameboard usually includes means to identify and return to the player(s) a pocketed cue ball, and subclass 25 in which the table or gameboard may include a means to identify and separately store the balls pocketed by each player or team.
