ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 6 -- United States Patent no. 12,458,868, issued on Nov. 4.
"Snooker pocket rail" was invented by Carl Fowler (Chorley, Great Britain).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A snooker pocket rail system (10) that provides an atmospheric control system (24) for heating the atmosphere in a region adjacent the rails (14) where one or more balls (18) are supported in use. This maintains the temperature of the balls (18) when not in play-so as to reduce adverse playing effects, such as "kick", when the balls (18) are placed back onto the snooker table. The snooker pocket rail system (10) has a ball ring (12) from which the pocket rail (14) is suspended, in use, below a pocket by a net...