Abstract: Methods and apparatus for testing a striking-type sports implement such as a bat is disclosed. In terms of apparatus, a system according to the invention includes a bat-swinging module, a ball-delivery module, and one or more programmed computers. The bat-swinging module includes means to grip a bat at its handle end, and an independent, computer servo-controlled motor to swing the bat. The ball-delivery module includes a ball support and a second, independent, computer servo-controlled motor to place the ball into the swing of the bat along a delivery path such that the bat is able to strike the ball and cause the ball to travel along a precise trajectory path. Various sensors are disposed to measure swing speed, “pitch” speed and exit velocity, with the computer(s) being operative to construct a database of bat performance characteristics based upon swing speed, pitch speed and exit velocity, and display selected portions of the database in accordance with a user input.

Abstract: A baseball bat or the like comprises a tube formed with an outer layer of cellulose material covering a layer of fiber reinforced resin, with the tube layers being impregnated with and bonded to one another with a cured resin. The outer layer of the bat consists of one or more strips or sheets of cellulose material such as paper or wood. Cellulose fibers tend to stretch when deformed by the ball impact so as to spread the impact over a number of fibers and exhibit a high compressive strength. Therefore, they may be effectively utilized as the outer layer of the bat. The tube preferably has a foam core including a central cavity lined with a layer of fiber reinforced resin, said core having sufficient resiliency to allow the tube to resiliently deform during impact with a baseball. Bat performance may further be improved by adding an internal layer of fiber reinforced resin to the interior of the foamed core.

Abstract: A sports analysis and testing system includes a plurality of high-speed digital video cameras, each aimed at a player from a different perspective to record their movements and those of a ball in play. In a baseball application, a programmed computer interfaced to the video cameras and various optional sensors includes application software to generate performance statistics as a function of the pitch, hit, and bat swing. If previously obtained batter performances data are available, the system may also be used to generate a database containing historical performance statistics, including real-time measurements of many characteristics, including pitched and batted ball speeds and trajectories, bat swing timing, speeds, and swing angles, location over the plate, and ball-bat contact location.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for testing a striking-type sports implement such as a bat is disclosed. In terms of apparatus, a system according to the invention includes a bat-swinging module, a ball-delivery module, and one or more programmed computers. The bat-swinging module includes means to grip a bat at its handle end, and an independent, computer servo-controlled motor to swing the bat. The ball-delivery module includes a ball support and a second, independent, computer servo-controlled motor to place the ball into the swing of the bat along a delivery path such that the bat is able to strike the ball and cause the ball to travel along a precise trajectory path. Various sensors are disposed to measure swing speed, "pitch" speed and exit velocity, with the computer(s) being operative to construct a database of bat performance characteristics based upon swing speed, pitch speed and exit velocity, and display selected portions of the database in accordance with a user input.

Abstract: A sports analysis and testing system includes a plurality of high-speed digital video cameras, each aimed at a player from a different perspective to record their movements and those of a ball in play. In a baseball application, a programmed computer interfaced to the video cameras and various optional sensors includes application software to generate performance statistics as a function of the pitch, hit, and bat swing. If previously obtained batter performance data are available, the system may also be used to generate a database containing historical performance statistics, including real-time measurements of many characteristics, including pitched and batted ball speeds and trajectories, bat swing timing, speeds, and swing angles, location over the plate, and ball-bat contact location.

Abstract: A baseball bat or the like comprises a tube formed with an outer layer of cellulose material covering a layer of fiber reinforced resin, with the tube layers being impregnated with and bonded to one another with a cured resin. The outer layer of the bat consists of one or more strips or sheets of cellulose material such as paper or wood. Cellulose fibers tend to stretch when deformed by the ball impact so as to spread the impact over a number of fibers and exhibit a high compressive strength. Therefore, they may be effectively utilized as the outer layer of the bat. The tube preferably has a foam core including a central cavity lined with a layer of fiber reinforced resin, said core having sufficient resiliency to allow the tube to resiliently deform during impact with a baseball. Bat performance may further be improved by adding an internal layer of fiber reinforced resin to the interior of the foamed core.

Abstract: A baseball bat or the like comprises a tube formed with an outer layer of wood-like veneer covering a layer of fiber reinforced resin, with the tube layers being impregnated with and bonded to one another with a cured resin. The ends of the tube are closed off with caps adhered to the tube and preferably molded in place. The tube preferably has a foam or aluminum core including a central cavity, said core having sufficient resiliency to allow the tube to resiliently deform during impact with a baseball. The product is formed by molding over a form which may constitute the cavitied foam core or, alternatively, a forming mandrel which is removed after the resin is cured. The cavity may be filled with a material which is less dense than the core.

Abstract: A golf club head is formed with a ball impacting face having an outer layer of wood veneer bonded to an inner layer of synthetic resin reinforced fibers by a synthetic resin which impregnates both layers. In a wood-type version of the club head, the outer shell is formed over a molded foam plastic core by covering the core with a flexible woven resin reinforced fibers sock, impregnating the sock with an uncured synthetic resin, covering the impregnated sock with a pair of shaped wood veneer matched halves so that the wood veneer is impregnated with resin, and curing the composite in forming molds.

Abstract: A baseball bat or the like comprises a tube formed with an outer layer of wood veneer covering a layer of fiber reinforced resin, with the tube layers being impregnated with and bonded to one another with a cured resin. The ends of the tube are closed off with caps adhered to the tube by cured resin. The tube may be hollow and may have a foam plastic core with sufficient resiliency to allow the tube to resiliently deform during impact with a baseball. The tube formed by molding over a tubular end which may constitute the foam core or, alternatively, the forming mandrel may be removed after the resin is cured and the resulting cavity filled with foam plastic.

Abstract: A baseball bat or the like comprises a tube formed with an outer layer of wood-like veneer covering a layer of fiber reinforced resin, with the tube layers being impregnated with and bonded to one another with a cured resin. The ends of the tube are closed off with caps adhered to the tube and preferably molded in place. The tube preferably has a foam or aluminum core including a central cavity, said core having sufficient resiliency to allow the tube to resiliently deform during impact with a baseball. The product is formed by molding over a form which may constitute the cavitied foam core or, alternatively, a forming mandrel which is removed after the resin is cured. The cavity may be filled with a material which is less dense than the core.

Abstract: A golf club head is formed with a ball impacting face having an outer layer of wood veneer bonded to an inner layer of synthetic resin reinforced fibers by a synthetic resin which impregnates both layers. In a wood-type version of the club head, the outer shell is formed over a molded foam plastic core by covering the core with a flexible woven resin reinforced fibers sock, impregnating the sock with an uncured synthetic resin, covering the impregnated sock with a pair of shaped wood veneer matched halves so that the wood veneer is impregnated with resin, and curing the composite in forming molds.

Abstract: A hockey stick having the appearance of a solid wood stick and superior handling properties is formed with an outer layer of resin-impregnated wood veneer formed integrally with an inner sheath of fiber-reinforced fabric and resin. In one embodiment of the hockey stick, the two outer layers are formed over a core which may be formed of foamed plastic core. In an alternative embodiment, the foam core extends through the handle area and the blade is formed of synthetic fibers overlaid and bonded to an outer wood veneer sheath by resin which impregnates both layers.

Abstract: A wood composite baseball bat is formed by overlaying a central core of foamed plastic or extruded aluminum with an inner layer of resin-impregnated fiber knitted or woven cloth and then an outer layer consisting of longitudinally extending planks of resin-coated wood veneer. The article is formed by covering the core with the synthetic material impregnated with uncured resin. While the resin impregnating the fibrous material is still unset, the core member is placed within split molds lined with resin-coated strips of wood veneer and the molds are pressed together while the resin is allowed to set to form a unitary mass.

Abstract: This application relates to composite structures and, more particularly, to a composite or sandwich structure employing sheets of wood veneer.

Abstract: A method of forming a wood sandwich structure comprising the steps of peeling a bolt of natural wood in spiral form to form a web of wood veneer; forming the wood veneer web into a plurality of sheets of uniform size; forming a plurality of fiberglass sheets having a size corresponding to the size of the wood veneer sheets; and bonding alternate sheets of wood veneer and fiberglass together with a resin to form a remanufactured wood composite sandwich structure comprising alternate sheets of wood veneer and fiberglass bonded together by the resin. Also disclosed is a specific wood sandwich structure for use in boat building; another specific wood sandwich structure especially suitable for use in furniture building; a method of forming a boat hull utilizing a wood sandwich structure according to the invention; and a method of forming furniture utilizing a wood sandwich structure according to the invention.

Abstract: A method of forming a wood sandwich structure comprising the steps of peeling a bolt of natural wood in spiral form to form a web of wood veneer; forming the wood veneer web into a plurality of sheets of uniform size; forming a plurality of fiberglass sheets having a size corresponding to the size of the wood veneer sheets; and bonding alternate sheets of wood veneer and fiberglass together with a resin to form a remanufactured wood composite sandwich structure comprising alternate sheets of wood veneer and fiberglass bonded together by the resin. Also disclosed is a specific wood sandwich structure for use in boat building; another specific wood sandwich structure especially suitable for use in furniture building; a method of forming a boat hull utilizing a wood sandwich structure according to the invention; and a method of forming furniture utilizing a wood sandwich structure according to the invention.

Abstract: A veneer laminate composite structure particularly suitable for use in boat building.

Abstract: Composites consisting of refractory metallic carbide particles in a local matrix of an alloy having a lower melting point than the carbides are prepared by placing sections of refractory metallic carbide, at least some of which are larger in size than those desired in the final composite, in a mold. Matrixing alloy is heated above the melting temperature of the binder metal employed in the sintered carbide and then poured into the relatively cold mold. The binder metal dissolves at least at the outer surfaces of the sections and diffuses into the alloy which is allowed to naturally cool and solidify. The final composite contains micron size particles of the carbides released from the large sections when the binder melts.

Abstract: A composite material consisting of particles of a sintered metal-ceramic, supported in a metal matrix is produced by packing a mold with sintered particles having a larger average particle size than those desired in the final composite and particles of the matrix metal. A controlled quantity of heat is then applied to the mass to bring the temperature of the matrix metal above its melting temperature and above the degradation temperature of the sintered particles. The surfaces of the sintered particles in contact with the metal are degradated by de-sintering, diffusion and solution into the molten metal reducing the size of the particles. The heat source is removed before the particles have been reduced in size to their final desired size so that the mass cools and upon solidification the particles have reached their desired final particle size. In the final composite the remaining particles are surrounded by zones of an alloy of the matrix metal and the dissolved constituents of the sintered particles.

Abstract: Composites consisting of sintered tungsten carbide particles in a local matrix of a steel alloy having a carbon, cobalt and tungsten content are prepared by placing particles of tungsten carbide with cobalt binder, at least some of which are larger in size than those desired in the final composite in a mold. Matrixing alloy having little or no tungsten content is heated above its melting temperature and then poured into the relatively cold mold. The carbon, tungsten and cobalt dissolve at the outer surfaces of the particles and diffuse into the alloy which is allowed to naturally cool and solidify.