Abstract: A batting glove includes a plurality of finger elements, a thumb element, a top portion, and a lower portion. The finger elements cover fingers, the thumb element covers a thumb, the top portion covers a back side of the hand, and the lower portion covers a palm of the hand. Preselected thicknesses of preselected materials are included in order to protect the bones, ligaments, pulleys, tendons, etc. of a wearer from direct shock, and to distribute stress along the hand.

Abstract: A collapsible truck bed rack for pickup trucks that is formed from four separate frame assemblies that can be installed on a truck or removed in five minutes or less without using tools. A unique means of arranging and fastening the top four corners of an installed rack is employed to create considerable stiffness in the rack corner structure, while permitting flexibility in rack length and width without compromising structural stiffness or strength. For storage, the separate assemblies are collapsible into two or more parts using quick disconnect means and may be packed compactly in a sack for placing in a pickup truck. The rack has a simple configuration, uses no complex parts requiring special machining or molds, and uses standard fastening components. It is therefore economical to manufacture and could be made available to small pickup truck owners at a relatively low cost.

Abstract: A batting glove includes a plurality of finger elements, a thumb element, a top portion, and a lower portion. The finger elements cover fingers, the thumb element covers a thumb, the top portion covers a back side of the hand, and the lower portion covers a palm of the hand. Preselected thicknesses of preselected materials are included in order to protect the bones, ligaments, pulleys, tendons, etc. of a wearer from direct shock, and to distribute stress along the hand.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hockey stick shaft. The shaft includes a core of rectangular cross-section running the full length of the shaft. A cloth fabric, such as an aramid fiber cloth, is wrapped around the perimeter of the core and extends from the shaft blade end at least partways toward the shaft opposed end. A wood veneer is then wrapped around the core/cloth fabric and extends from the shaft opposed blade end at least partways toward the shaft blade end, with a space between the end of the wood veneer and the shaft blade end where the cloth fabric is exposed. This permits heat to be applied to the shaft for removal and/or insertion of a blade without the heat damaging the wood veneer.

Abstract: A hand-held implement grip and protectant, preferably for a hockey stick, is described. The invention mainly consists of a blade attached to a composite shaft integrally enshrouded with a rubber sheath. A method of forming the same is also provided as laying up a number of sheets of composite material, wrapping those sheets about a mandril, enshrouding the layup with a rubber sheath, vulcanizing the combination, removing the mandril, and inserting a blade therein.

Abstract: A reinforced wood bat has a solid wood core with the same as standard wood bats but with slightly smaller dimensions. The barrel may include a plurality of grooves in the hitting zone. One or more continuous, uninterrupted layers of a conformable fabric sleeve, constructed of high strength fibers, snugly fitting over substantially the entire outer surface of the core forms a preformed bat assembly. The fabric sleeve is dimensioned to expand slightly over the barrel of the core and compress over the handle of the core. A fiberglass braided sleeve, with strands initially aligned at about +45.degree./-45.degree. orientation, is preferred. When the braided sleeve strands are tensioned over the handle portion, they align more longitudinally, and tend to lock, which significantly increases the reinforcing strength in the handle portion of the bat. An epoxy resin, which self-cures at or near room temperature, laminates and bonds the sleeve layers to the wood core to the full size dimension specified for wood bats.

Abstract: A tubular metal ball bat includes a tubular barrel having a hitting zone and an end cap at a distal end thereof, a handle at a proximal end thereof and a pressurized bladder positioned in the bat barrel and in the area of the hitting zone. A method is also disclosed for inserting and anchoring the pressurized bladder in the hitting zone. A variety of pressurized bladder configurations are disclosed with valves for pressurizing the bladders in the bat barrel. The bladder can include one or more separate bladders or compartments which are designed to occupy a predetermined length of the hitting zone.

Abstract: Dampening of vibrations transmitted to the handle of a tubular metal ball bat or similar implement when the ball bat impacts with a ball or when a similar implement imparts or receives an impact force in spaced relation to a handle normally grasped by a user of the implement. Vibration dampening reduces the "sting" normally transmitted to the hand or hands of the user thereby enabling the user to be more proficient when wielding the bat or other implement. One disclosed vibration dampener embodiment comprises a body of resilient foam-like material having a cylindrical plug which extends into the proximal end of the bat handle and a peripheral flange extending outwardly into the hollow interior of the knob. An axial extension engages the interior surface of the proximal end of the knob, leaving the peripheral flange to oscillate or flex to absorb vibration imparted to the handle of the metal bat.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing tubular articles from fiber reinforced thermoplastic sheets. A horizontal conveyor feeds the sheets to a vertical wrapping belt. The sheets are heated on the conveyor to a molten state and fed to a mandrel rotated by the belt. The molten sheets are wrapped around the mandrel and cooled by the action of the belt to form an integral structure.

Abstract: A hollow aluminum bat including a tubular handle portion at one end thereof merging into a tubular barrel at the other end with the barrel having a constant external and internal diameter and a closure end cap is provided with grooves formed in the internal surface of the barrel which reduces the weight of the barrel to enable the barrel to be made with a larger constant diameter throughout its length. The grooves maintain the impact characteristics of the barrel with a ball. The grooves may include a continuous spiral groove having a plurality of closely associated convolutions, a plurality of longitudinally spaced, circumferential grooves, or a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal grooves formed in the interior surface of the constant diameter barrel and oriented over substantially the full length of the accepted hitting zone defined by the barrel.

Abstract: A hollow metal ball bat and end cap in which a full length barrel that is substantially straight throughout its hitting zone to its outer end is included. The end cap is installed in the end of the straight barrel to dampen vibrations, provide enhanced impact characteristics to the bat, concentrate the weight load of the bat at the outer end and create a longer acceptable hitting area or zone.

Abstract: A reinforced wood bat has a solid wood core with the same shape as standard wood bats but with slightly smaller dimensions. One or more continuous, uninterrupted layers of a conformable fabric sleeve, constructed of high strength fibers, snugly fitting over substantially the entire outer surface of the core forms a preformed bat assembly. The fabric sleeve is dimensioned to expand slightly over the barrel of the core and compress over the handle of the core. A fiberglass braided sleeve, with strands initially aligned at about +45.degree./-45.degree. orientation, is preferred. When the braided sleeve strands are tensioned over the handle portion, they align more longitudinally, and tend to lock, which significantly increases the reinforcing strength in the handle portion of the bat. An epoxy resin, which self-cures at or near room temperature, laminates and bonds the sleeve layers to the wood core to the full size dimension specified for wood bats.

Abstract: Various forms of golf clubs are disclosed, which include one or more inflatable bladders in the golf club head and/or golf club shaft, as well as internal and external grooving of the golf club shaft. Such golf clubs have enhanced characteristics for driving a golf ball to move in a desired trajectory. The unique structural components of the golf club provide for reinforcing, rigidifying, reducing weight and more effective control of the golf club during the swing. A higher club head speed when impacting a golf ball, more stability on off center hits, reduced vibration upon ball impact, improved sound characteristics, and improved "feel" can be achieved.

Abstract: In a two piece hockey stick, or some other tool or sporting apparatus including a handle and a blade or implement portion, the handle is secured to the blade by means of inserting a tapered screw into an aperture in the shaft of the blade and tightening the screw, which causes the shaft of the blade to enlarge and fit snugly within the hollow handle.

Abstract: A laminated wood ball bat and a method of making the same. The bat is constructed of a plurality of thin wood veneer strips extending longitudinally in generally parallel relation throughout the length of the bat and are bonded together throughout their facing surfaces. The method of forming the bat includes the steps of placing large sheets of thin wood veneer in stacked relation in the cavity of a press with glue being applied to the contacting surfaces of the stacked sheets of veneer. The press exerts pressure on the veneer sheets to densify and compress the stacked veneer sheets while the glue is cured to form a large laminated panel having a thickness of half bat billets. One surface of each half bat billet panel is optionally grooved to form a core in the hitting zone to optionally receive material less dense or more dense than the wood veneer and a recess in the handle portion to receive a reinforcing rod.

Abstract: A hollow metal ball bat and end cap in which a full length barrel that is substantially straight throughout its hitting zone to its outer end is included. The end cap is installed in the end of the straight barrel to dampen vibrations, provide enhanced impact characteristics to the bat, concentrate the weight load of the bat at the outer end and create a longer acceptable hitting area or zone.