Abstract: A hockey stick comprising a blade and a shaft adapted to being joined together. The blade portion having an upper portion and a lower portion and a face. The upper portion being comprised of a defined region having a reduced width dimension in a direction that extends generally perpendicular from the face of the blade when measured relative to regions in the upper portion of the blade that border either side of the defined region. The defined region may also be comprised of a reduced longitudinal bending stiffness in a direction that extends generally perpendicular from the face of the blade when measured relative to regions in the upper portion of the blade that border either side of the defined region.

Abstract: A hockey stick comprising a blade and a shaft adapted to being joined together. The blade portion having an upper portion and a lower portion and a face. The upper portion being comprised of a defined region having a reduced width dimension in a direction that extends generally perpendicular from the face of the blade when measured relative to regions in the upper portion of the blade that border either side of the defined region. The defined region may also be comprised of a reduced longitudinal bending stiffness in a direction that extends generally perpendicular from the face of the blade when measured relative to regions in the upper portion of the blade that border either side of the defined region.

Abstract: A hockey stick comprising a blade and a shaft adapted to being joined together. The blade portion having an upper portion and a lower portion and a face. The upper portion being comprised of a defined region having a reduced width dimension in a direction that extends generally perpendicular from the face of the blade when measured relative to regions in the upper portion of the blade that border either side of the defined region. The defined region may also be comprised of a reduced longitudinal bending stiffness in a direction that extends generally perpendicular from the face of the blade when measured relative to regions in the upper portion of the blade that border either side of the defined region.

Abstract: A hollow metal tube and method making same are disclosed in which the tube includes a reinforcing sleeve compressively engaged with the interior of the tube. The sleeve is formed of carbon fibers in an epoxy matrix. The method of making the tube results in the wall of the tube being compressed against the sleeve, which imparts a high rate of wall recovery if the tube is impacted. Accordingly, the article is particularly useful as a ball bat or other tubular structure which may be subjected to external forces or impact.

Abstract: A plastic archery arrow nock (10) having a stiffener of light weight high strength material such as carbon composite therein permits fine tuning alteration of the dynamic spine of the arrow and reduces flexure of the nock relative to the arrow shaft (12) to prevent fatigue failure of the nock. The stiffened nock reduces the flex in the nock and the connection of the nock to the arrow shaft arrow shaft (12) as it is propelled forward by acceleration of the bowstring at the moment of release.

Abstract: An archery arrow nock (10) having a bowstring receiving groove (16) with a string contact point which is offset from the central axis (12) of the arrow to which the nock is to be attached permits the use of a lighter weight less stiff arrow by countering and diminishing the normal bending of the arrowshaft as it is propelled forward by acceleration of the bowstring at the moment of release. The string contact point may be offset either laterally from the plane containing the bowstring and arrow centerline or in this plane away from the arrow centerline.

Abstract: A hollow metal ball bat having a hollow end knob encompassing an enlarged section of a hollow handle portion. The opening of the end knob is smaller than the contained enlarged handle portion, and fits over the smaller cross-section of the handle portion adjacent the enlarged portion. A ring of resilient material is held between the end knob and the enlarged handle portion.

Abstract: A method of attaching a hollow end knob to the handle portion of a hollow ball bat, in which the hollow bat handle portion positioned within the cavity of the hollow end knob is outwardly deformed to a transverse cross-section substantially larger than the cavity opening. The outward deformation is preferably accomplished by applying pressure against the transverse exterior surface of the end knob which in turn bears against the circular end of the hollow bat handle. The interior transverse surface of the end knob may have a circular recess corresponding to the end of the bat handle.A hollow metal ball bat having a hollow end knob encompassing an enlarged section of a hollow handle portion. The opening of the end knob is smaller than the contained enlarged handle portion, and fits over the smaller cross-section of the handle portion adjacent the enlarged portion.