How does a coin operated pool table know which ball is the cue ball?

Question

How does a coin operated pool table know which ball is the cue ball?

Answer 1

There are a couple different ways used by different tables.  Some cue  balls are larger (and almost impossible to play with) but most bar box cue balls have a metal bar going threw them, or the newer aeromith (spelling?) cue balls play more true have metal completely circling the inside of the ball so it doesn't favor a certain side when it rolls.  And when the cue ball hits the return there is a magnetic bar that sends it out. And the diamond tables have the capability to have a laser system in them that detects red circle cue balls.  If the table does not have the system in it, the cue ball goes threw the table with the rest of the balls.

Answer 2

Correct, it is smaller

Answer 3

The cue ball is slightly smaller than the rest of the rack.

Answer 4

The cue ball is slightly smaller than the rest

Answer 5

the guy above was trying to say aramith, not aeromith

Answer 6

As others have said the cue is smaller than the other balls

Answer 7

the cue ball is smaller

Answer 8

Each cue ball has a small selenium chip in it.

The pool table has a diverter that either sends the balls to the window or back to the player to be placed back on the table. The table detects, and when the cue ball scratches and arrives, the diverter lets it pass back to the player instead of being sent to the window and out of the game.

The chip changes the composure of the cue ball minimially, instead of making the cue ball smaller and changing the dynamics greatly.

This allows the cue ball to be kept for the players to put it back on the table after a scratch, without changing the cue physical characteristics of the ball too much.

Answer 9

Actually, the cue ball is usually larger, not smaller than the rest. There are also tables that used a weighted cue ball that is the same diameter as the rest but heavier, and the new Diamond tables use a standard sized red dot, and the table has an electric sensor that can tell which ball is the cue ball.

Answer 10

The cue ball is slightly smaller.

Answer 11

the cue ball is not smaller.Valley tables usually use a larger cue ball.Diamond tables uses a sensor to detect the cue ball.

Answer 12

the cue ball (white ball) is about 0.5 mm smaller than the object balls ... a rail system knows this difference and sends it the opposite way

Answer 13

The balls run back down a track with a hole in it.

The white is smaller than the other balls,so it falls through the hole.The others carry on along the track.