Racking balls on a pool table

Abstract

Pool balls falling into the pockets of a pool table during a game are fed through primary conduits below the table and then passed one at a time through the field of view of a camera which identifies the color and/or markings on the ball and forwards each ball through an appropriate secondary conduit to a rack located in a receiving position adjacent one end of the table. The rack is mounted on a carriage pivotally secured to the table at one end thereof so that, when the rack is full, the carriage can be pivoted from the receiving position to a discharge position over the table so that the balls can then be discharged from the rack in the correct formation on the table. Releasable retainers are provided to retain the balls in the rack during the pivoting movement and until the rack is in position over the table.

1 . A method of racking balls on a pool table, said method including: 
 feeding pool balls falling into the pockets of a pool table during a game through primary conduits below the table and then passing the balls one at a time through the field of view of a camera which identifies the color and/or markings on the ball and forwards each ball through an appropriate secondary conduit to a rack located in a receiving position adjacent one end of the table and mounted on a carriage pivotably secured to the table at one end thereof, and    pivoting the carriage from the receiving position to a discharge position over the table and discharging the balls from the rack in the correct formation on the table.    
   
   
       2 . A method of racking balls on a pool table, said method including: 
 feeding pool balls falling into the pockets of a pool table during a game through primary conduits below the table and then passing the balls one at a time through the field of view of a camera which identifies the color and/or markings on the ball and forwards each ball through an appropriate secondary conduit to a rack located in a receiving position below the table.