Abstract: The present invention relates to a golf ball that provides improved playing characteristics by providing a cushioning interface between a center and subsequent layers. The ball can include a center, a soft intermediate layer, and a cover, although various constructions and modifications are possible. The intermediate layer can include an elastomeric latex or solution that will dry to form a soft film on the surface of the center. Such a soft rubber interlayer can serve as a cushioning interface to help improve durability and softness of the ball upon club impact. In another embodiment, the thin intermediate layer includes a responsive viscoelastic composition that exhibits an increase in viscosity under shear forces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a golf club having a golf club head with a channel on the head. The golf club head may be a putter-type club head that is used to putt the golf ball on a green. The use of the channel on the club head provides a mass distribution that can result in a high moment of inertia so that the club head resists twisting in the player's hand when the club head strikes a golf ball. The channel also assists a player in aligning the club head to strike a golf ball. The channel may be located on the upper face of the club head so that the player can see the channel when addressing a golf ball with the golf club. The channel extends from a front, strike face of the club head to a rear face of the club head and is preferably aligned with an axis that corresponds to the desired direction of travel of a golf ball that is struck with the club head.

Abstract: An attractive user-friendly golf putter is provided with a special center weighted housing and side weights to enhance the accuracy, ease and reliability of putting. The side weights are preferably positioned between the center weighted housing and the toe and heel of the golf putter.

Abstract: A golf ball (1) has a dimple “A”, a dimple “a”, a dimple “B” and a dimple “b”. The dimple “A” and the dimple “a” have diameters equal to each other, and the dimple “B” and the dimple “b” have diameters equal to each other. The volume of the dimple “A” is greater than that of the dimple “a”. The volume of the dimple “B” is greater than that of the dimple “b”. A ratio of the number of the dimples having the smaller volume V1 than the volume V2 to the total number of the dimples is 10% to 90%. The sum of the dimple volumes is 480 mm3 to 620 mm3. The golf ball (1) has an excellent flight performance.

Abstract: A golf ball superior in resilience performance, cut resistance and spin performance is provided. The golf ball is composed of a core and a cover surrounding the core. The cover is formed of a composition having 0.5-20 parts by weight of organic short fiber blended with respect to 100 parts by weight of a polymer component having thermoplastic elastomer as its main component. Thermoplastic resin may also be blended in the polymer component. The cover composition has a flexural rigidity of 80-300 MPa, and the cover surface has a Shore D hardness of 41-56.

Abstract: A batting aid that may easily be installed upon fixed or temporary structures, made up of a main frame that slidably supports a tube which in turn supports a ball for a batter to hit. The ball is fixed to the tube by a wire cable that extends through the ball, and is in turn mounted to the tube. The tube is height adjustable so that batters of differing stature and ages can easily practice upon balls at varied heights. The assembly is strong in construction so that a practicing batter is able to hit the ball hard and not cause damage or require another player to throw balls over the plate or return balls to the batter.

Abstract: In connection with a golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate resin layer, and a cover, the invention provides a mold defining therein a spherical cavity for molding the resin layer. The mold is divided into a pair of mold halves each of which has at least three segments which are removably assembled to define the spherical cavity, each of the segments being provided on its cavity-defining surface with at least one projection. When the core is placed in the mold cavity, the projections support the core in place. The resin layer having perforations can be effectively molded and readily removed from the mold.

Abstract: An athletic practice machine for training offensive and defensive players, such as football players and for training martial arts and kick boxing athletes. Each dummy of the training device may be latched in a spring loaded retracted position and the dummies may be individually released to spring to a forward leaning position simulating opponent movement. The dummy release may be accomplished by movement of a coach's staff. In training units having three laterally spaced dummies, the end dummies are positioned forward of the central dummy and face inwardly to form an arc. Movement of the helmet bearing staff forward releases the central dummy and lateral movement of the helmet bearing staff releases the dummy on the side toward which the staff is moved.

Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core and a cover disposed adjacent the core, wherein the cover comprises: an inner cover layer having a first thickness and being disposed directly about the core; an outer cover layer having a second thickness no greater than about 0.050 inches; and an intermediate cover layer having a third thickness and being disposed between the inner and outer cover layers; and wherein the outer cover layer comprises a composition formed of a reactive liquid material; and the combination of the first, second, and third thickness is no greater than about 0.125 inches.

Abstract: A disclosed gaming machine provides methods and apparatus of verifying the authenticity of gaming software stored in and executed from RAM on the gaming machine. When presenting a game on the gaming machine, a master gaming controller may dynamically load gaming software applications into RAM and dynamically unload gaming software applications from RAM. The authenticity of the gaming software applications temporarily stored in RAM may be verified by using methods to compare it with certified gaming software stored on one or more local or remote file storage devices accessible to the master gaming controller on the gaming machine. The verification process may be used to satisfy gaming regulatory entities within various gaming jurisdictions that require certified gaming software to be operating on the gaming machine at all times as well as to prevent tampering with the gaming machine.

Abstract: An improved batting tee uses an elongated split washer to provide friction between telescoping parts in the stem without requiring tightening adjustments by a user, an elongated rounded grommet at the top of the tee to provide stability for the grommet and protection for the ball holder against cuts made by the bat hitting the ball holder against the top end of the innermost telescoping member, and a ball holder made from a wound, flexible material that retains its shape and resiliency without requiring a threaded member to hold the windings together.

Abstract: An improved golf putter head having a striking surface comprised of multiple strings, each string having separate and variable tension capabilities, and a multiple position shaft with adjustable shaft angle capabilities on the back portion of the putter head. The striking surface is comprised of individual, parallel, equidistant adjustable strings across a recessed area between the lined striking face and the front of the putter head to allow for full flexing of the lines without interference from the head structure. The putter head has curved ends with grooves to accommodate and align the strings. The putter head has holes with setscrews at each end of the string groove ends to lock the strings in place once the desired tension has been achieved. These adjustable string tension mechanisms allow the characteristics of the putter face to be changed to create a harder or softer striking surface.

Abstract: Golf balls are disclosed having novel dimple patterns determined by a plurality of connected polygon regions. A method of packing dimples using the connected polygons is also disclosed. For each disclosed dimple pattern, connected polygons extend from a pole of the golf ball towards the parting line. Dimples are positioned on the golf ball surface according to the pattern of connected polygons and then the remaining space of the golf ball is filled with dimples. This results in a golf ball having a dimple pattern that has some uniformity but also some variance.

Abstract: A game court and method for playing a game thereon are disclosed. The game court comprises a playing surface suitably large for running and jumping players, having adjacent surface areas with distinctly different properties. A first area of the playing surface is substantially rigid and resilient, and suitable for bouncing a ball. Optionally, the first area of playing surface comprises a resiliently suspended floor. The second area is a deformable-elastic surface, such as a trampoline surface, that is tuned to greatly increase the heights that players may attain by jumping. The game court is optionally surrounded by a wall comprising at least a portion of the court boundary. A game for playing on the game court is disclosed, comprising a basketball-like game. The game court may also be used for other sports such as gymnastics or exhibition-style wrestling.

Abstract: A play device designed to be struck by various parts of the human anatomy, or with rackets or paddles, depending on the size of the play device. The tail portion of the play device, consists of a curved bell shaped structure, constructed from a suitable molded plastic or a composite of materials; which allows for a strong, flexible, lightweight tail. The length of the tail portion forms a parabolic curve, which increases the compression strength of the tail, as well as increases the drag the tail lends to the device while in flight. The tail portion of the device is connected to a substantially round striking(head)portion. The proportions and weight characteristics enable the shuttle to quickly recover to a head first stable flight pattern, thereby enabling a player to repeatedly strike the device, with the intention of sustaining it's flight.

Abstract: A target for an object thrown, struck or otherwise projected by a user. The target includes a number of uprights pivotally mounted to a base. A user projects an object at the uprights in an attempt to knock them down. The target optionally includes a reset mechanism for remotely raising the uprights back into their raised position after they have been knocked down, and a storage bin for storing and transporting equipment.

Abstract: A new, novel and useful Oriented Thermoplastic Elastomer Thread Wound Golf Ball providing improved combinations of good spin for ball control on iron or wedge shots while providing for higher hardness and long travel with driver shots. The Oriented Thermoplastic Elastomer Thread Wound Golf Ball's performance is acheived by the incorporation of oriented thermoplastic elastomer threads in the golf ball design.

Abstract: A multi-piece golf ball includes a rubbery elastic core, a cover having a plurality of dimples on the surface thereof, and at least one intermediate layer between the core and the cover. The intermediate layer is composed of a resin material which is harder than the cover. The elastic core has a hardness which gradually increases radially outward from the center to the surface thereof. The center and surface of the elastic core have a hardness difference of at least 18 JIS-C hardness units. This construction and combination of features improve the distance of the ball when struck with a driver, provide the ball with excellent spin characteristics and thus good controllability on approach shots, and gives the ball a good feel on impact, enabling the ball to meet the high expectations of skilled golfers.

Abstract: An apparatus (40) is used to implement a method for training a person to accomplish a basketball shot. A lower body positioning member (60) is located in front of a leg area of the person when that person is in a position to attempt the shot. When the person so attempts the shot, the lower body positioning member restrains forward rotation of the person's leading shin. An upper body positioning member (68) is located in front of a torso area of the person. When the person attempts the shot, the upper body positioning member restrains downward rotation of the person's shooting arm. In a repetitive process, the person is provided with a basketball and shoots the basketball at the goal. By this repetitive process the person learns to accomplish the shot without excessive rotation of the lower leg and upper arm.

Abstract: In order to increase the useful life of a golf club, at least part of the golf club in a region of the striking face is coated with a coating that is neutral in terms of stress or has compressive stresses. The coating is applied by a thermal spraying method with average spray-particle velocities of over 500 m/s. The coating preferably has compressive stresses of between 0 and 600 MPa.