Abstract: A game for two players including a flat board (10) on which is delineated a uniform rectilinear grid (14, 16) defining eight adjacent rows and columns of square spaces (18). Each space is associated with one of four types of zones. A home zone (24a,b) spans each of the northern and southern ends of the grid, immediately in front of the players. A side zone (44) is located at each of the eastern and western ends of the grid, extending between the opposed home zones. A safe zone (46) of contiguous spaces is centered on the grid, and the remaining spaces constitute the playing zone (48). Each player controls a plurality of game pieces (26) having distinct values (28,30,32,34) indicating the number of spaces the piece can move during a turn. The pieces are initially placed in the home zone (24), and can move diagonally as well as rebound off other pieces or zone boundaries.

Abstract: A tennis racquet which utilizes an energy input system is disclosed. The racquet head employs a flexible membrane which is held in place by membrane carriers secured to the interior of the head and to which the strings are attached. This membrane extends into the handle portion of the racquet where it is firmly anchored to a tensioning/energy input, storage and release device which in the preferred embodiment comprises a spring assembly. By adjusting this spring assembly, the player can dictate the amount of spring energy to be applied to an object striking the strings and thus determine the object's release speed and its dwell time on the racquet. Because the strings are not attached directly to the frame, the effective striking area of the racquet is enlarged.

Abstract: A shock adsorbing racket handle assembly for use with a wide variety of rackets. The assembly includes a specially formed racket shaft attached to the head and a grip whose interior is similarly shaped so that an engineered space is defined therebetween. Damping material is used within that engineered space and tensioning device is used to hold the assembly together and to appropriately determine a particular player's choice of shock adsorption and feel or hitting characteristics for the racket.

Abstract: A vibration dampening device for use with hand held sporting rackets, particularly tennis rackets, having a face or striking surface formed of two intersecting sets of parallel strings. The device of this invention comprises a block of viscoelastic foam which is compressed and inserted between the strings on the striking surface. This block of foam is preferably in the shape of a cylinder and when it is inserted between two, adjacent parallel strings it assumes a generally spherical shape. Typically, this compressed block engages four adjacent strings of both sets of strings, or three strings and the racket frame. This block may be placed at various positions on the racket striking surface, and significantly reduces vibrations created in the racket by the striking of a projectile, such as a ball. The device may be constructed of various combinations of different types of foam, and may have any desired color or design.

Abstract: A game playing piece having a body with opposite surfaces one of which is positioned in engagement with a playing surface during playing of a game, the one surface of the game piece being constructed so that when a downwardly directed force is applied on one part of the playing piece it will cause another part of the playing piece to tilt upwardly away from the playing surface so that it can be taken hold of and lifted off the playing surface. The playing piece is made tiltable by providing a single projection or a plurality of projections on the one surface of the piece adjacent the peripheral edge. Alternatively, the playing piece can be provided with beveled peripheral edges.

Abstract: A self-defense device comprising a spherical member and a tether cord. The tether cord is wound on a self-winding spool that is rotatably attached to the interior of the spherical member. The free end of the tether cord has a loop formed thereat for securing the device to a person's wrist. The spherical member may have an outer lining of elastic material or may have a plurality of barbs on its exterior surface.

Abstract: A vibration damping device which may be releasably secured to the throat portion of a sports racket. The device employs a clamping member which may be releasably secured to the frame defining the throat portion of the racket, and a damping member fixedly secured to the clamping member in a cantilevered fashion. A first vibration of the head portion of the racket caused by the impact of the game ball with the racket face induces a second vibration in the damping member, resulting in a damping of the first vibration and reduction in the transmission of vibration to the handle of the racket.

Abstract: A hollow baseball bat having a hollow elongated ball hitting portion of a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape and a flattened curved hitting face is internally braced by elongated substantially plate-like members disposed between the hitting face portion and other interior surfaces of the ball hitting portion. Various forms of braces and attachment to the interior of the hitting portion are disclosed.

Abstract: A sports racquet which utilizes non-circular strings is disclosed. The strings are threaded to the racquet in the normal manner with their flat or larger surfaces facing outwardly. The strings are thus arranged in a grid pattern with their flat or larger surfaces forming the striking area.

Abstract: The lengths of string (22 and 24) of a racket, more specially a tennis or squash racket, are trained over bend points of the frame (12) with a low degree of friction and are so strung backwards and forwards across the frame that the spacing between two parallel strings of the same length of string (22) is at least equal to the radius of a ball. Between these strings (22c and 22d) there are parallel strings (24d), that are parts of other string lengths (24). This system of stringing the frame makes it posible for tension forces produced on ball impact to be transmitted to other parts of the array of strings not contacting the ball.

Abstract: A racket having strings strung across the head portion of the frame in which the strings have threaded end portions for engagement with correspondingly threaded nuts. Additionally, the threaded portion of the string can extend the entire length of the string so as to provide the string with a surface that imparts more spin to the ball. The surface of the strings is also provided with markings. When the string is tensioned in the frame through turning of the nuts, the distance between markings is increased due to elongation of the string. This elongation can be translated into a particular increase in tension by use of a suitably calibrated scale.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a matrix category game which includes an apparatus for playing as well as a method of playing. The apparatus includes a plurality of playing sheets having vertical columns and horizontal rows, each with a set of descriptive headings. At least one set of headings is color coded and the other is directed to various subject categories. A set of dice is included which has a letter of the alphabet on each facet and each die of which is color coded to correspond to the colors on the playing sheet. A writing instrument is provided for marking the playing sheet and instructions are included. Various subject categories are chosen from a list of categories and are inserted in one set of category headings. The dice are then rolled and the letter that faces upward on each one is written on the corresponding color descriptive heading. Each player must then write on a playing sheet an answer under each category and begins with the letter designated.

Abstract: Removable device for attaching a racket to a player's wrist, comprises a flexible wrist strap that encircles the player's wrist, and a soft rubber cap that grips the end of the handgrip and has a rigid female insert that releasably retains a male assembly on the wrist strap. For this purpose, the insert has a central opening for receiving a portion of the male assembly, that central opening having an abutment shoulder that faces inwardly. The male assembly comprises a fitting having an annular flange that nests in the cap, and a cylindrical rod that slides in the fitting. The cylindrical rod has an enlarged conical inner end, which spreads apart or permits to move back toward each other, legs on the fitting that have outwardly extending detents. When the legs are spread, the detents cannot clear the abutment shoulder and so the device is held assembled. When the rod is pushed in and the legs can move back together, the detents are sufficiently closely spaced to clear the abutment shoulder.

Abstract: The present invention makes use of tension transmitting device between an outward head frame surface and string chords such that tension along one string chord can be transmitted through the tension transmitting device to the next adjacent string chord. Transmission of tension allows strain energy to be stored in several string chords instead of only those directly contacted by the impacting object. This results in larger string deflection with a smaller increase in string tension. A first form of the tension transmitting device is an independent rocker member that can be received between the string as it wraps over the outer racket head surface between adjacent holes. The rockers receive the string along top rocker surfaces. Bottom rocker surfaces are substantially cylindrical for friction-free rocking engagement against the outer surface of the racket head frame.

Abstract: A plug for damping vibrations of tennis racket cords comprising a flat parallelepiped body of resilient material provided with a pair of outer channels having laterally open slots to permit the plug to be inserted between the cords and the cords to be connected. The plug also has a pair of parallel inner holes located on the same plane with the axes of the channels and serving to increase the resilience of the material and make the plug adaptable to various types of rackets.

Abstract: A game which simulates the trading of financial futures and its applications. The game apparatus includes a chart which provides the necessary market information for given instruments for a 20-day playing period, plus the preceding five days, with only a portion of the chart visible to the players on any given playing day. The game apparatus also includes a holder with a display window and a pair of rollers to which the ends of the chart are affixed. The chart moves past the window when one of the rollers is turned. The window is of a size that the full chart, covering the 20 day playing period and the preceding five days, will appear in it on the last playing day.

Abstract: A board game simulating various aspects of automobile ownership and operation. The game comprises a board subdivided into several distinct playing paths or areas, including a path extending around the perimeter of the board with spaces representing detriment to the player and spaces representing benefit to the player, and areas or paths spaced inwardly of the perimeter, representing home bases or towns of the players, and with spaces involving detriment and/or benefit to the player. Each inner playing area or town includes a bank at which car payments may be made. A plurality of playing pieces are provided for each player for movement along the playing paths, the pieces preferably representing small, medium and large automobiles. Movement of the playing pieces is controlled by a combination of chance and skill or strategy, and is governed by the use of a pair of multi-colored dice which are cast or rolled to determine which playing piece or pieces are moved, and the extent of movement.

Abstract: A tennis racket having a head portion, handle portion and a shaft portion connecting the head portion to the handle portion. The shaft portion includes an arc which extends perpendicular to the plane defined by the head portion. Alternatively, a portion of the shaft has a thickness that is reduced in comparison to the rest of the shaft. In both embodiments, a filamentary traction element can be used to bridge the corresponding arc or reduced portion.

Abstract: Game apparatus including a game board, board pieces, a pair of dice, and a separate board on which is located a winners circle. The game board contains a generally oval shaped race track with separate lanes for several players, with starting and finishing lines for several running events. Within the space bounded by the track are areas designated for a variety of other events including pole vault, board jump, high jump, and shot put. The winner of each event is moved into the winners circle and the team (player) with the most pieces in the circle when the events are completed is the winner of the game.

Abstract: A modified chess game and game board having a hexagonal shape and 217 hexagonal spaces which can be played by two or three players simultaneously. The hexagonal spaces which make up the game board are alternately colored so that no two adjacent spaces are of the same color. Connecting spaces are located between each of the adjacent hexagonal spaces and these connecting spaces are of a color that is different from the color of the two adjacent spaces which they connect. The game also includes 19 playing pieces for each player. The game board can also be used to play a game of checkers.