Abstract: A bowling ball drilling apparatus for drilling variable size holes includes a table having an upwardly opening ball supporting pocket. A boring apparatus is mounted below the table for reciprocation in a generally vertical direction in a path intersecting the pocket. A carriage moves the boring apparatus in the path. The boring apparatus has an output shaft rotatable about a vertical axis. An adjustable boring head is connected to the output shaft for rotation therewith, the boring head receiving a boring tool and being variable adjusted to offset the boring tool horizontally relative to the vertical axis so that the boring tool orbits about the vertical axis to produce a variable size hole in the bowling ball dependent on an amount of the offset.

Abstract: An apparatus for positioning a bowling ball during a drilling process and method that provides reproducible orientations of the ball for accurately modifying and repeating the drilling process is described. The apparatus affixed a bowling ball while exposing a sufficient portion of a surface of the ball where middle finger, ring finger and thumb holes are to be drilled. The apparatus positions the bowling ball for drilling holes of varying pitch without requiring the ball to be removed from its rigidly affixed position within the apparatus. Holes having severe pitches are easily drilled and reproduced, including oval holes having preselected oval rotations. A computer program converts inputted hand measurements to digitized apparatus movements for positioning the ball prior to drilling a desired hole. Digital encoders indicate apparatus movement that is matched with computer output for ease and repeatability in drilling a ball.

Abstract: Delays in fitting and drilling bowling balls are eliminated in a point of sale bowling ball fitting and drilling apparatus. A fitting apparatus (30) includes two movable finger blocks (34), (36) and a thumb aperture (38). Through the use of inserts taken from a group of inserts (150), the fitting apparatus (30) may be utilized to generate control signals to a drilling apparatus (46). A ball (204) may be positioned within the drilling apparatus (46) and insert receiving holes drilled therein in response to the information received by the drilling apparatus (46) from the fitting apparatus (30).

Abstract: A finger hole drilling machine for a bowling ball is disclosed. The drilling machine includes a ball seat assembly, an air suction/expelling valve unit, a marking pen assembly and a turntable assembly. The ball seat assembly has a ball seat housing of the box type for tilting the bowling ball forward and backward, and a ball seat movably placed on the ball seat housing and adapted for tilting the bowling ball leftward and rightward. The drilling machine identically drills the finger holes on a plurality of bowling balls of a bowler, thus to achieve identity of the finger holes of the bowling balls. The drilling machine also readily sets the drilling positions on the bowling balls, thus to save time and to readily finish the finger hole drilling work and to improve the efficiency of the finger hole drilling work.

Abstract: An apparatus for positioning a bowling ball during a drilling process and method that provides reproducible orientations of the ball for accurately modifying and repeating the drilling process is described. The apparatus affixed a bowling ball while exposing a sufficient portion of a surface of the ball where middle finger, ring finger and thumb holes are to be drilled. The apparatus positions the bowling ball for drilling holes of varying pitch without requiring the ball to be removed from its rigidly affixed position within the apparatus. Holes having severe pitches are easily drilled and reproduced, including oval holes having preselected oval rotations. A computer program converts inputted hand measurements to digitized apparatus movements for positioning the ball prior to drilling a desired hole. Digital encoders indicate apparatus movement that is matched with computer output for ease and repeatability in drilling a ball.