Abstract: An improved design for a tubular aluminum ball bat or light sports implement is provided. The bat includes a handle portion, a barrel portion having a circumferential outer wall, and a transition portion joining the handle portion and the barrel portion. A structural bridge is located within the bat and is attached to and spans the circumferential outer wall. The structural bridge modifies the vibrational response of the bat so as to increase the size of the sweet spot of the bat and provide more effective energy transfer from the bat to a ball upon striking the ball with the bat.

Abstract: A metal baseball or softball bat may be improved both for durability and performance by selectively placing a layer of fiber reinforced composite material around portions of the bat. In one embodiment, the barrel portion of the bat may have a fiber reinforced composite layer directly laid up upon the metal bat frame. In a second embodiment, the barrel portion of the bat may include an outer metal sleeve placed about the metal bat frame, with an exterior fiber reinforced composite shell being formed on the outer metal sleeve. In a third embodiment, an intermediate portion of the bat adjacent a zone of maximum bending stress may be reinforced by the placement of a fiber reinforced composite outer layer on the metal frame of the bat adjacent the area of maximum bending stress.

Abstract: A game ball comprising a spherical core and two-piece cover. The cover includes two figure eight-shaped pieces adhesively attached to the core. Furthermore, each figure eight-shaped piece may be separately stitched around the edges, given the appearance of a stitched ball once the cover pieces are in place. Preferably, the stitching pattern is a traditional herringbone pattern. Also provided is a process for making a game ball. This process comprises providing a spherical core and cover material comprising two stitched figure eight-shaped pieces. The stitched figure eight-shaped pieces are placed around the core using an adhesive.

Abstract: A bat having a non-uniform circumferential wall thickness. The bat comprises a tubular body having a handle portion, a tapered mid-section and a barrel or impact portion. In one embodiment, the outer diameter of the bat is constant, while the inner diameter varies between a maximum diameter and a minimum diameter to create alternating points of maximum wall thickness and minimum wall thickness. In an alternate embodiment, the inner diameter of the bat remains constant, while the outer diameter varies to create alternating points of maximum and minimum wall thickness. The distance between points of maximum and minimum wall thickness is such that there are at least two points of maximum wall thickness under the area of the bat that is contacted by a ball upon impact.

Abstract: A bat comprising a tubular body having a handle portion, a tapered mid-section and a barrel or impact portion. The barrel portion merges with the tapered mid-section at an annular indentation formed in the body. The bat further includes an exterior shell disposed about the barrel portion of the bat in a manner that enables unrestricted movement of the shell upon impact with a ball. The opposing ends of the shell are cooperatively tapered with opposing ends of the barrel portion. The bat further includes a knob attached at the terminus of the handle portion, and an end cap attached at a terminus of the sleeve and barrel portion.

Abstract: A construction for a baseball or softball having a raised seam is provided. The ball includes a core and first and second cover pieces. Each cover piece has an inner surface, an outer surface and a peripheral edge. A bead of hot melt adhesive is adhered to the inner surface of each cover piece in a pattern substantially parallel to and located inside of the peripheral edge. After the hot melt adhesive hardens, it forms a strip of elastomeric material. Then the cover pieces are placed together about the core of the ball and stitched together with the beads of hot melt adhesive material located within the stitching, so that the beads support the cover pieces to form a raised seam on the ball. The hot melt adhesive material is preferably selected to have a durometer hardness comparable to that of the core of the ball, so that the ball will perform substantially the same regardless of whether it is struck on-seam or off-seam by a batter.

Abstract: A bat comprising a tubular body having a handle portion, a tapered mid-section and a barrel or impact portion. The barrel portion merges with the tapered mid-section at an annular indentation formed in the body. The bat further includes an exterior shell disposed about the barrel portion of the bat in a manner that enables unrestricted movement of the shell upon impact with a ball. The opposing ends of the shell are cooperatively tapered with opposing ends of the barrel portion. The bat further includes a knob attached at the terminus of the handle portion, and an end cap attached at a terminus of the sleeve and barrel portion.

Abstract: A batting glove is designed for players that hold the bat with one or two fingers over or under the knob. The glove includes a knob receptacle that will act as a pivot point for the knob in the palm of the glove. A surface pad is fixed proximally along the surface of the palm of the glove. A piece of foam is mounted proximally perpendicularly to the surface pad approximating the shape of the letter "J". A cover is then placed over both foam pads to protect the pads against wear.

Abstract: An improved method for the manufacture of baseballs including the steps of coating the core of the ball with a heat activated water based latex based glue, drying the glue, positioning a multi-part cover about the surface of the ball, stitching together the adjoining edges of the multi-part cover, heating the ball to activate the heat activated glue in order to securely glue the cover to the core after the stitching of the cover to join the seams of the cover about the core.

Abstract: Methods of and apparatus for stuffing foodstuff into a casing, more particularly a method and apparatus for stuffing foodstuffs such as sausage meat or hams which are to be cured by smoking into a casing of fibrous material suitable for the smoking of the foodstuff, in which the casing is formed from flat web stock, the web being fed forward from a supply roll and formed into a tubular casing, the casing being fed forward along a stuffing tube through which the foodstuff is forced into the casing.