Ball bat

• US 4,871,168 A
• Filed: 10/20/1988
• Issued: 10/03/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey P. Crouch, Joseph A. Autorino
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey P. Crouch, Joseph A. Autorino
• Inventors: Crouch, Jeffrey P., Autorino, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US07/260,120
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 273/67 R, 273/67 A, 273/72 R, 273/72 A, 273/73 R, 273/26 A, 273/26 B, 273/183 D, 273/186 A, 273/193 R, 273/193 A, 73/379, 73/515, 73/492, 73/493, 73/500, 73/535, 73/551, 73/512, 116/321, 116/324, 116/266, 116/272, 116/281, 272/128, 272/DIG. 5, 272/DIG. 9, 272/124
• US Class Current: 473/453
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3632 Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/909 Mechanical indicator

Abstract

A hollow plastic ball bat has an internally mounted swing metering device that provides a visual indication of swing velocity. The bat is defined by inner and outer members that are coupled to one another to define a recess that receives a transparent annular barrel. A bore in this barrel has a weighted piston that moves in the bore, as a result of its inertia, During a swinging or other movement of the bat itself.

Claims

1. An elongated ball bat comprising a first member defining a handle end of the bat and having an enlarged outer end portion opposite said handle end, a second member defining an outer end of the bat, said second member having an inner end portion corresponding in size and shape to said first member outer end portion, means coupling said inner and outer end portions, said coupling means defining an elongated cavity of constant cross section, said cavity containing a fluid and said cavity closed at one end by said first member and closed at its opposite end by said second member, a weighted piston slidably received in said cavity, said piston defining an opening for passing said fluid therethrough as a result of sliding movement of said piston in said cavity, means on said piston for impeding movement thereof from said one cavity end toward said opposite cavity end, said coupling means defining a transparent window adjacent said elongated cavity to permit observation of said piston position.

2. The ball bat of claim 1 wherein said coupling means further includes a generally annular barrel, said cavity defined in said barrel, and said first and second members defining an intermediate bat portion provided at least in part within said annular barrel, said intermediate bat portion including coengaging locking surfaces defined in part by first and second members for holding said members and said barrel in assembled relationship.

3. The ball bat of claim 2 wherein said barrel is molded from a transparent plastic to permit observation of said piston position in said cavity.

4. The ball bat of claim 3 wherein coengaging locking surfaces comprise male and female threaded portions of said members.

5. The ball bat of claim 4 wherein said first and second members are molded from plastic and are hollow to provide a light weight ball bat suitable for striking a hollow plastic ball.