Practice baseball

• US 4,286,783 A
• Filed: 05/22/1980
• Issued: 09/01/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Corky F. Newcomb
• Original Assignee: Nelson F. Newcomb
• Inventors: Newcomb, Nelson F., Newcomb, Nelson F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US06/152,510
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 273/60 B, 273/58 K, 273/90, 273/26 R, 273/DIG. 20, 273/428, 273/128 R, 273/128 A
• US Class Current: 473/451
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/02 Special cores balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball cores A63B37/005
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/10 with eccentric centre of gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball

Abstract

A practice baseball constructed to curve to a controllable degree when thrown in the manner that a conventional baseball is thrown as a straight ball. The practice baseball is in major part spherical, the balance of the surface being a flat area resulting from the removal of a small segment. The practice baseball has all of the normal characteristics of any conventional similarly manufactured baseball of the same diameter and weight. The practice baseball may be of any selected weight and diameter between the limits recited hereinafter and more specifically, it will be of the same weight and diameter as that of any fully spherical baseball but of greater specific gravity resulting from the reduction in volume due to the removed segment. When hit with a conventional baseball bat, the practice baseball responds as to "crack" sound and the distance traveled like a conventional fully spherical baseball. The weight of the practice baseball is between 11/4 and 7 ounces and the major diameter of its spherical part is between 2 and 4 inches.

Claims

1. A practice baseball adapted to be thrown by baseball pitchers, said baseball comprising

a. two distinct outer surfaces one of which comprises the major spherical portion of the surface of a sphere and the other surface has a shape other than that of said major spherical surface,

b. the area of said major spherical portion being between 70% and 93% of the area of a sphere of the same major diameter,

c. the annular part of the major spherical portion lying between (1) the juncture of the said major spherical portion and said other surface, and (2) a great circle parallel to said juncture, is large enough to accept at least one finger of the thrower'"'"'s hand when the ball is held in the ball gripping position required for throwing a conventional baseball as a straight ball,

d. the weight of said practice baseball being between 11/4 and 7 ounces and the major diameter of said practice baseball being between 2 and 4 inches, and

e. the relationship between the weight and diameter of said practice baseball being such that when the said practice baseball is thrown in the manner that a straight ball is thrown by baseball pitchers, it will curve to a controllable degree.

2. A practice baseball as set forth in claim 1, said other surface being substantially a flat surface.

3. A practice baseball as set forth in claim 1, the specific gravity of said practice baseball being not less than 0.404 and not more than 0.915.

4. A practice baseball as set forth in claim 1, said baseball being of such weight and hardness as to produce the same sound when hit with a conventional baseball bat as the sound produced when a conventional baseball is hit with a conventional baseball bat.

5. A practice baseball whose weight and diameter are derived from a fully spherical baseball of selected weight and diameter in which said selected weight is between 11/4 and 7 ounces and said selected diameter is between 2 and 4 inches, said practice baseball comprising

a. a spherical unit of said selected diameter from which a segment has been removed to leave a unit comprised of an exterior spherical portion and a flat area,

b. the volume of said practice baseball being not less than 79% and not more than 99% of the volume of the said selected fully spherical baseball,

c. the intersection of the periphery of said area with said spherical portion forming a circular boundary whereby there will be an annular area lying between said boundary and a great circle parallel to said flat area large enough to accept at least one finger of the thrower'"'"'s hand when the ball is held in the ball gripping position required for throwing a conventional baseball as a straight ball, and

d. the weight of said practice baseball being the same as the weight of said selected fully spherical baseball.